I Didn't Know Witches Could Do That
by Roz Under Pressure
Summary: After the events of "The Witches Apartment 1307", Mildred and Ethel spend the rest of their college years without much incident, however now, college is over, life moves on and some stuff is about to come down as Esme is getting married, Mildred is getting a new job, HB is getting stressed, Ada is getting delighted and Ethel is getting a surprise!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

College is done, and with said end came the obligation to finally completely become an adult and move on with your life. What they don't tell you, however, is that it's never that simple. Just because college ended, doesn't mean you're ready, like being done with school to go into college didn't mean you really knew what you wanted.

The big secret of life is that we're all winging it and the only real objective here and now, is to make choices on how to start on the path to really be a grown up. Eventually. When you're thirty or something.

On this path of life you figure out what that means by yourself, but presenting examples of what it means for other people can always help.

For some it was looking for a job in their field; For others, it was getting any job they could to get their footing and get money to build something later; For yet another group, that may or may not have intersected with the previous ones, but it was also going back into the fold and having to live with their parents for sometime.

Of course, here we are talking about girls with magical powers, and sometimes, for them, and by them I mean Geraldine Fern, it meant getting help offered by their old headmistress to deal with a trauma of possession she was trying in vain to ignore for a few years now.

For Mildred and Ethel, it was moving cities and abandoning the apartment they shared for most of their college life to get a new one in London again, one belonging to the Hallows, which caused Mildred to ask a few questions about exactly how much property that family owned. (Ethel laughed, but didn't respond.)

The middle Hallow had outstanding marks in college and got job offerings from pretty much the very moment a diploma touched her hand. Due, in part, to her making the right connections with the right teachers, her name and the fact that her paternal aunt, Callisto Bluebell, was a famous and respected lawyer also helped, as a result many job offerings came her way and while none of those enticed her as much as the idea to work directly for the Council, for now, working for "Spellbinder & Spellbinder" would have to do.

Meanwhile, Mildred had gotten a job while still at college; in the "Mim Museum of Magical Arts & Music" where she worked as an intern for her last two years in college and in the year after it, but recently had set her mind on getting another job, one far more significant for her, in a more familiar place.

Not much else changed; Ursula Hallow still seemed to have it in for Mildred, quite obviously waiting with bated breath for the moment when Ethel would share the news they had broken up something that, despite the Hallow Matriarch's hopes, probably wouldn't happen so soon.

Fortunately, Esme and Sybil seemed to be very happy to have Mildred as an unofficial part of their family. After all, Sybil had always counted on Millie and now Esme found herself knowing what the Hubble magic felt like, since the incident with the Cackle's Founding Stone, since it was the powers of the twelve sacrificed Hubble generations and their founder that ran through her veins, which lead her to feel a somewhat deeper connection to her unofficial little sister.

Ulisses Hallow was rather uncommitted despite his general instinct to stand by his wife's desires and demands. He didn't want to admit, but a part of him wanted to like Mildred, he just knew he couldn't show or say it while Ursula refused to see the girl's qualities for herself. So he took a step back and mostly let his protective father tendencies speak for themselves, without showing like or dislike for the one who was, believe or not, the head of the Hubble clan.

That title was something that Mildred couldn't believe belonged to her, but it was the Code after all, she was the eldest magical member of her family, which put her in a position of power in the eyes of the Council… And no one else's. In fact, it resulted in some relentless teasing from her aunt Mo, mother and grandma, all of who received the knowledge of their family's witchy past with ambivalence and amusement.

Hattie and Mildred however, found themselves caring a lot more, the younger girl spending at least part of her previous summer helping her oldest cousin in her search for their family legacy and after tracking and after searching around in vain for years, jumping from clue to clue, Mildred had, with some help from friends, recently gotten a possible location for the Hubble grimoire. A road trip was coming soon…

For Maud and Enid it meant goodbye… Well not forever, they were still friends and college had certainly gotten them closer than they've ever been, but their paths seemed to diverge with Maud seeking a job that would make her degree in Spell Science worth her time and with Enid seeking, well, according to her, 'herself', which she then explained as:

"I have no idea, but I'll wing it and I'll be fine." She then gave a thumbs up and Maud rolled her eyes and moved back with her parents right after.

Actually, there was a hug in between those two things, but yeah, she moved back with her parents.

Then, two months later she was living with Enid again, because while Gordon and Maeve were loving and sweet, great parents really, going from having your independence and losing it is always hard.

For Mona Hallow and Henrietta Hubble, it meant having to start worrying about college actually. Their last year at Cackles was about to start in a couple of months or so and the two friends found themselves wanting different things… Very different things, and separation, at the end that school year, seemed painfully inevitable.

For Ada Cackle it meant getting a very interesting resume from a very interesting candidate for the position of art teacher. One whose name bought a smile to her lips and made her almost want to call Hecate in that very moment to talk to her about it, just to see her face.

For Esmeralda Hallow, who was at this point already well into the road of establishing herself in her field, regardless of her name, it was a bit more of a complex matter. She was already on the next step - marriage; the union between two people who loved and looked after each other. Or so it was for her, since she was lucky; many Hallows before her had to make their choice based on politics and amalgamation of power and fortunes, a destiny that so far two, and now hopefully with Esme, three, consecutive generations would avoid.

She and Erik had discussed the matter a few times, and then proposed mutually. The fact they both decided to bring the rings and say the same words in the same place working as another sign that they were meant to be.

It also came the time to organize the ceremony, a duty usually divided between the two women closest to the bride; The Witch of Honor and the Mother which, in this case, meant that Esmeralda had realized she would have Ethel and her mother in charge of making her wedding ceremony and party work.

This could end badly. Over the years, Ethel and Ursula's relationship, after a promising possibility of being amended, only seemed to fray more and more and having them together didn't always go well. Forcing them to work together couldn't possibly be good and since Ursula would never stop being her mother, she didn't have much of a choice aside from choosing another Witch of Honor, but… Esme wanted Ethel, she wanted her sister to be by her side that moment, it felt right, it was how it was supposed to be.

That's how it should be.

Plus, it's not like Erik and her couldn't elope.

Seriously though, how bad could it be?

(tbc)


	2. Chapter 1 - A Long Way to A Wedding

**Chapter 1 - A Long Way to A Wedding**

Sybil Hallow was hiding, her body flush against the wall as she barely breathed, trying to keep away from the two volatile witches in the sitting room. Ethel and her mother were arguing over everything; the wedding decorations, invitations, centerpieces, even the flavour of the cake was a reason for argument.

Now, obviously, all those things were important, but by god, did everything have to be a war with those two? Even after they mostly talked through their issues over Ethel's treatment when she was younger, they would still have these types of fights. Of course it was an important moment for everybody, but the date wasn't even set yet! They just announced the engagement! God, chill!

"Hey Sybs." Mildred turned a corner and waved at her, making Sybil shoot towards her, index finger over lips as a sign as she swiftly took her away from there, to the entrance to the library, and then she gave the signal that Mildred could talk again while receiving a strange look; "What's wrong?"

"This wedding is driving me crazy! Mother and Ethel keep arguing over everything!" She sighed, distressed.

Mildred raised an eyebrow; "Esme's wedding? Why? Esmeralda and Erik haven't even set their date yet." And Ethel had said that Ursula organizing a wedding would be a nightmare… Maybe this was her way to fight against motherly tyranny; "Is Esme in there with them?"

Sybil shrugged; "No, she escaped before me. Probably went to make sure Dad isn't being too hard on poor Erik." She looked up at Mildred; "Hey you cut your hair?"

"Oh yeah! Wanted to give it a try." She said, moving her mid-neck length hair around. "It's been frizzling up a lot since I cut it, but I kinda like how it has volume now. You look great with short hair, so I thought to give a try."

The younger Hallow blushed at the compliment; "Thanks… Short hair suits you very well." She smiled; Mildred hadn't changed much the last few years, the same colorful fashion sense, just with more flannel shirts now. They suited her well; Sybil couldn't help, but think she looked good in pretty much everything she saw Mildred in, but the flannel shirts showed her nice, strong arms since she seemed to have a knack to doing things with her hands instead of by magic.

She smiled a little to herself, but stopped doing that abruptly as she felt an unexpected feelings creep up on her, making her clear her throat, in an attempt to clear her mind, before speaking; "Well, we should look for Esme and dad and Erik..."

"Oh, yeah! Come on, let's go." Mildred put an arm around her shoulder in a sisterly manner, though that was not how Sybil felt it, and took her away from the room where the other two women screamed something about birds.

~0~

"They are winged rats, Ethel!" Ursula Hallow said, both distressed and angry; Doves were the last thing she wanted at her eldest daughter's wedding. "How can you possibly want your sister to have those damn stupid birds in her wedding? Let her have swans! They are beautiful, gracious, lovely-"

"Monsters!" Ethel shot back; "They honk loudly, they attack people! Plus, it's illegal to own them in England. Shouldn't they all belong the queen?"

"It was once legal to hunt and murder witches in England using a book written by the king as a guide! I don't care what the queen, or her law, has to say about my children!" She huffed and then added; "Is this about Penny attacking Mildred-" Ursula started.

"Yes!" Ethel cut in; "And stop giving nicknames to the swans, please!" She added, rolling her eyes.

"Her name is Penelope, Penny is a perfectly reasonable nickname, Ethel!" Ursula insisted, crossing her arms and legs; "I am certain it was your 'girlfriend's' fault!"

"Oh yeah, your little feathered babies couldn't do anything wrong, right?" Ethel rolls her eyes once again and, a little more bitterly, added in her thoughts _"Contrary to me, of course."_

Ursula was side eying her eye rolling; "Keep doing that and they'll just fall out of their sockets!"

"Doves, mother!" Ethel cut in, ignoring her more bitter thoughts; "Doves represent purity and peace and-"

"Shit everywhere! One of them did it ON MY HEAD because your grandmother insisted on those damn animals!"

Ethel crossed her legs and arms and leaned back against the sofa, not even noticing how she was perfectly imitating her mother now; "It wasn't that bad…"

"I bet your grandmother told you that!" Ursula huffed and looked her in the eyes; "She was lying!"

"Grandma doesn't lie!" Ethel countered, knowing full well that wasn't true. Enya Hallow lied the absolute necessary to make life work just as it should. Talk about how a witch makes things go her way… In fact, one could say Ethel was doing that right now after all;

She was doing a lot of this just work up her mother, something that had become one of her favorite hobbies ever since Mildred and her got together. Mostly because her mother, even after all those years, still apparently wouldn't stop needling her girlfriend every chance she had, so Ethel annoyed and contradicted her every chance SHE got.

Hell, Ethel prefered swans herself, she was very fond of her little feathered brothers and sisters, but gods, didn't bringing up the doves just anger her mother to hell and back in the most amusing way?

Right now, for instance, Ursula had the most disbelieving looking on her face, as she stared at her daughter, unable to articulate anything beyond a babble until she finally and laboriously let out: "Your grandmother doesn't- You are impossible! You're doing this just annoy me, aren't you?"

"Mother, how could you accuse me of that?" Ethel held her chest, doing an amazing job of hiding how much she wanted to laugh. "Look, why don't you just ask Esme?" She pointed at the sofa; "She'll agree with- Where is she?"

Ursula narrowed her eyes; "Esmeralda." How dare she?

~0~

"How is living with your parents coming along?" Mildred asked with a commiserated expression; "I know it can be pretty hard to move in with them after being on your own for so long. Maud had to do it for a few months last year and she was almost traumatized." She joked, but it wasn't far from the truth according to Maud.

"I wouldn't go that far… In fact, they are less demanding now than they used to be. I would almost say they are respecting me as an adult more, but I honestly suspect they are just worried I'll leave." She scrunched her nose; "They have a bit of an empty nest syndrome going."

"I heard of those." Millie grinned.

"Gives me a little bit of an advantage, but I am looking for jobs though. If things get too bad, Bea has offered me a bed in her apartment already. She said Clarice and I are always welcome there." She smiled. "Talking about jobs; Ethel said you applied for a job at Cackles." Sybil asked, starting to relax a little as they walked by the library, going down the hall.

Mildred nodded; "I doubt Miss Hardbroom will allow me to go through, but I do have to try. Working with Zelda, eh, Mrs. Hexencraft these last few years has given me some credibility, at least. She was the only known witch with the same power to turn art into reality for a few decades and she was happy to mentor and vouch for me. Plus, I also sent my curriculum to Amethyst's, Amulet's, Merlin's and Pentangles."

"I am sure a lot of places would be falling over themselves to hire an authentic manifestation artist; Your kind is very rare, Millie."

"Except for HB, because she knows me too well." Millie stretched, forcing a smile even as she was feeling the nervousness bubble inside of her stomach like it did when she sent in her curriculum.

"It's Cackle you're really hoping for, right?" Sybil smiled and rubbed her back, thinking of how cute she looked with hopeful yet anxious eyes.

"Yeah… I miss it there and I do think art is a class that Cackles needs more than they know." Millie remembered Miss Mould and how still, despite everything, deep down she still thought of the witch as one of the best teachers she ever had and wondered where she was these days.

"HB would disagree." Sybil chuckled.

"Obviously," Mildred grinned. "but sometimes we need to, you know, relax a little. After all nobody ever gets strong by working out 24/7 and never getting any rest. Your body and your brain need down time as much as-" She suddenly stopped talking as she heard someone call her name.

"Mildred?"

"Yes?" Mildred asked, looking at Sybil, who only looked back at her confused. "I think I heard someone calling me…" Mildred looked at the end of the corridor they came from.

"I didn't hear anything." Sybil shrugged.

"Must had been my imagination then." Millie said, not really believing it herself. She didn't quite know why, but decided ultimately to ignore it; "We better go find Esme. Any idea where she might be?"

"No, but I know where dad might be torturing Erik now, so… Follow me."

~0~

"And this is Ethie's hunting rifle." Ulisses said, pointing at the decorated antique rifle hanging from the wall. "Shoots the animal with a pre-prepared stunning spell, knocks them out for about an hour or so." Aside; "My Ethie has amazing aim." He points at the wall of trophies. "Here are some holograms of the things she shot." He hugged Erik by the shoulder, showing him a black haired man's holographic head mounted on a wall.

Roderik Addams was starting to get second thoughts. He was nervous about getting married, and having his future father-in-law trying to look intimidating, and failing, before they even set a date themselves, was not helping.

This was just supposed to be a quick visit to make the announcement, yet…

Still Ursula and Ethel were intimidating on their own without Ulisses pointing it out, and being made aware Ethel had good aim and could use a magical riffle, which gave her some range over a common spell cast, was something that made him gulp around a dry throat. Now, of course he loved Esme with all of his heart, but he had also heard of his sister-in-law's hair trigger temperament and wondered if it would take too long for her to take something the wrong way.

"Erik, Dad, there you are!" Esme entered the room and smiled at him, making Erik feel much better instantly.

Ulisses looked up, rather cross at being interrupted. "Esme, where are your mother and Ethel?"

"Probably still in the sitting room, fighting over table arrangements." She responded, looking rather cross herself, and hugging Erik harder, making him blush and look at her father, who huffed a little, but said nothing. "We should go." Esme added, stepping back, but still holding his hand. "It's getting late and I am feeling tired."

Ulisses' moustache puffed a little as he spoke indignantly; "You can't leave without talking to your mother."

"I would never do that, Dad… That's why I came here." Esme smiled sweetly. "Maybe you could interrupt Ethel and her and tell them we want to leave."

Ulisses stiffened a little and cleared his throat; "I suppose, yes." His eyes went from Erik to Esme, not really wanting to leave them alone when Sybil and Mildred came in. "Ah, there you are!" He said, walking towards his youngest and holding her hand, bringing her to position right between the newly engaged. "Stay here while I go find your mother and sister, will you?" He asked rhetorically and then walked away.

"What was that?" Millie asked, her expression a mixture between confusion and amusement.

"Dad didn't want to leave us alone here." Esme shrugged and kisses Erik lightly on the lips as Sybil has moved away as soon as her dad had left the room. "He was trying to intimidate Erik."

"Wow, this is the first time he brought you here?" Millie grins. "He got me here first time I visited. Did he show you the rifle that shoot fireballs?"

Erik frowned, that seemed excessive and a little cruel to use on poor animals that they usually didn't even kill. "No… What does he hunt with that?"

All three responded at at the same time and with the same tired and unamused tone, making clear none of them approved it, Esme and Sybil with "Boyfriends." and Mildred by saying "Girlfriends."

"Well, that makes sense." Sybil grinned at Millie. "Were you scared?"

"Not really…" Millie shrugged. "After everything Ethel and I went through I don't see it being a problem in the future. If I was feeling anything was a little bit of shock, since I didn't realized those were just holograms at first." She frowned. "Didn't like the idea of her hunting innocent animals." Hubble paused for a moment. "Also, didn't like the idea of your dad being that kind of dad either."

"None of us likes it." Sybil added with a shrug; "It's antiquated and silly, but we can't stop dad from doing it and he probably would still do it if we were boys, so…"

Esmeralda raised an eyebrow, amused; "Talking about the hunting or the intimidation of our partners?"

"Both." Sybil admitted, smiling a little.

"Dad isn't very intimidating despite his best efforts." Esme turned to Erik and looked him in the eyes, serious; "But he is still perfectly capable of doing what he is saying he will."

"I feel a lot better now, angel, thanks." Erik said sarcastically.

"It will be fine, love, I know it will never happen." She smiled and kissed him gently.

"Can you two control yourselves, please?" Ethel said showing up in the room in a transference spell and crossed her arms. Millie put her arms around her waist as soon as she could, kissing her cheek and grinning;

"Ran away from mama bear?" She teased.

Ethel huffed, but leaned against her; "Hardly, she ran away from me. Either way, we have to go."

"You're running away from someone that ran from you then?" Mildred raised an eyebrow and got a dirty look from Ethel. "I am teasing. After meeting both you and your mum, I honestly wouldn't be able to tell who would intimidate the other first."

"Don't we have to go look up that house, Mildred?" Ethel asked, sounding cross.

"Oh yes! That's important!" Millie said, squeezing Ethel a bit, feeling very excited suddenly.

"House?" Sybil asked.

"Yes! We suspect that was the house Mirabelle Hubble moved into after giving up her powers! Our friend Gerry found it for us and said there is a sort of familial spell in the basement that can only be open by the blood or someone in the witch's family, she thinks it might be mine." Mildred smiled at her. "We could be close to finding out more about the Hubble legacy! Maybe even find the Hubble Grimoire, finally!"

"That's wonderful, Mildred!" Esmeralda said and smiled through the guilt. She knew how much her family had contributed to the erasure of the Hubble's and she couldn't help but feel that she owed Mildred compensation for that. She still had to think of a way to do it.

"If you need any help, call me." Sybil said.

Mildred smiled at her; "Thanks Sybs!"

"Yes, great! We'll call you, but we should go now." Ethel huffed, impatiently and held her firmly. "Goodbye!" She snapped her fingers and they were gone, just as Ursula came in;

She smiled triumphantly, raising her chin: "I knew she would run from me again."

~0~

Mildred couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at how quickly Ethel took them out of the house, but wisely said nothing. After she would have to share a bed with her later and if there was anything she had learned over the last few years was to never take Mrs Hallow's side.

Never!

That was just the first of many rules she learned from being with Ethel for all those years; Ethel Hallow wouldn't just tell you things. she hid her feelings, locked away under seven keys, but fortunately for Mildred, she could now read her like a book, so she knew exactly what to say at that moment;

"I am thinking of buying a new motorcycle." She said, idly, as she passed Ethel her helmet. "Maybe another BMW, or an Indian. I do have some money saved and this old cafe racer must be worth something." She put her helmet on.

"I wouldn't be able to tell." Ethel admitted, glad Mildred wasn't bringing up anything to do with the things that happened in the manor. "But money isn't an object, I could easily-"

"Oh no, do not even think about it." Mildred cut her off, getting on top of the motorcycle and turning it on. "What did I tell you about expensive gifts?"

Ethel frowned, drumming on top of her helmet with her fingers, before putting it down to put up her hair; "Who said anything about a gift? You'll pay for it."

"You said the same about that giant telly and the videogame, but refused to take my money." The brunette said, side eyeing her girlfriend, who rolled her eyes, quickly trying to come up with an excuse;

"I ended up using those too!" Was the best she could do, honestly, below average for Ethel's excuses.

Millie side eyed her harder; "You play cart games when Enid and Maud or my sisters are over, that doesn't count."

"I also watched that whole fantasy movie collection your father gave us…" Ethel added, finishing up her hair; "And 'The Godfather' trilogy."

"And Rocky Horror- Though, we didn't finish that." Mildred turned pink.

"What can I say? Tim Curry was very hot and when I hear a song saying 'Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me' I get inspired." Ethel winked, very pleased at how much redder she just made the blush on her girlfriend's face and put her helmet on, getting on the motorcycle and hugging Mildred's waist tightly.

(tbc)


	3. Chapter 2 - Hallowed and Hubbled

**Chapter 2 - Hallowed and Hubbled**

Ada smiled to herself feeling a kind of anticipation as she looked over Mildred's curriculum and recommendation letter, not an unpleasant kind of anticipation, mind you. In fact, there was a small pleasure to their debates over certain subjects that Ada, while never admitting, intimately found invigorating knowing full well Hardbroom would be resistant to her decision.

"Come in." She said, as Miss Hardbroom knocked on the door. They had been friends for so long even the way Hardbroom knocked was something that Ada could recognize; "Hecate, I believe I found someone for you to interview to be our new arts teacher." She extended the papers for her and sat back, looking at her old friend with some mirth in her look.

Hecate rolled her eyes, as she usually did when the words 'art teacher' where said in her presence, but took the papers with a resigned expression, running her eyes over them, her expression slowly changing, as her eyebrows creased into a frown before looking up and speaking a slow deliberated voice; "Ada… Is this your idea of a joke?"

Ada held back a smiled and reclined herself forwards, crossing her hands over each other, elbows on the table, and chin over the back of her hands; "Oh no, Hecate, I am absolutely serious. Mildred's qualifications for the position are great, specially for someone her age."

"Her age is the least of our problems!" Hardbroom looked at her in the eyes, with a heavy and serious expression; "It's Mildred Hubble, she barely made it here are a pupil, now you want to give her an actual position, as a teacher?"

"I am considering, but first, I want you present when it comes the time to interview her." The headmistress reclined back on her chair, relaxed. "Cackles does need new blood after all and her powers are a good illustration of the compatibility between creativity and magic in a way that is easy to grasp, but you do have a point about her being young. I need someone with more experience to interview her, know if she is ready." Ada argued.

"She is not!" Hardbroom said categorically.

"Now, now, you don't know that, Hecate…" Miss Cackle looked at her and soon moved to hold her own chin, thoughtfully; "In fact, she is one year older than you were when mother hired you, if I am remembering correctly."

"I had a full education under Mistress Broomhead-" Hecate swallowed dry at that name "I was prepared beforehand."

Ada also grimaced at the name; Broomhead was the single most unpleasant person she ever met in her life. "Well, that is true, but she has had some basic instruction when it comes to teaching, according to her curriculum and references. She is noted at being especially good at dealing with the children from school tours that visited her gallery."

"Well, I wouldn't know that!"

"You could have had." She looked at Hecate over her glasses; "We got offered one of those tours last year, but you thought it was a waste of time since it was an art museum, remember?" Cackle raised her head again; "Either way, I do believe you would know how to instruct her yourself-"

Miss Hardbroom moved like a snake had bitten her; "You want ME to do it?"

"If, after the interview, you agree with me and believe you're up to the task."

Hardbroom's back stood straight and hard, her collum almost turned to an exclamation point; "I suppose don't leave me another choice, but if I say she can't stay, she can't stay. Are we clear?"

Miss Cackle smiled openly; "Crystal, Hecate. Crystal…"

~0~

"This is the place then?" Ethel asked, pushing a few cobwebs aside.

"Supposedly, see." She points out a tile she activates with her magic, showing a shield in it, the Hubble crest as it was in the parchment that Miss Bat and Mr Rowan-Webb showed her. "I just need to find the thorn." She said as she touches all over the wall, finally jumping back and holding her finger; "Found it!"

The wall started opening as Ethel took Millie's finger in her mouth and sucked it to make the prick close, not really noticing Mildred blush as they walked further in, pushing more cobwebs aside.

"It's so dark." Mildred said before being hit by, well, I guess sudden inspiration would be the word, as she lifted her hand and concentrate on light, just pure light, and snapped her fingers.

Little orbs along the walls suddenly snapped lit, filling the room with a cool calming glow, illuminating several bookshelves overflowing with them, a few hooks with capes and hats, bottles with potions, jars with ingredients, even a mannequin with a hooded cape among other things. Ethel looked rather surprised by all of it, but specially by how Mildred already knew what to do; "How did you know to do that?"

"I don't know." Millie shrugged; "I guess I just did someh-." She slowly trailed off as she saw a stand. She had seen a similar one before, a drawing in a book. It was one that was used to keep a grimoire, safe and sound in a witches' home.

Ethel looked at her confused; "Mildred, what are you looking at?" It was also usually protected by spells that made it invisible to anyone that wasn't in the family.

"The grimoire stand." She responded breathlessly, slowly taking the steps towards it, ran her hand over the closed wooden doors that covered it, locked with a spell.

She cleaned it from the secular dust that had accumulated on it, her touch making it visible for Ethel as the blonde approached and looked over her shoulder, both started reading the spell written upon the lid, etching itself with a glowing green light coming from the groves of the cursive handwriting;

" _If a Hubble witch you be- Lay your hand here and see- If this noble Family Tree- Will allow you to be the key."_ Mildred tensed as the words changed; _"If a Hubble witch you're not- touching this secret family plot- shall turn your entrails to a knot- and your body shall here, alone, rot."_

"Merlin!" Mildred said, in horror, before the message changed again.

Another message showed up, this time with slightly different cursive writing and with purple light instead of green this time; _"Unless, of course, you are a Hallow, in which case your head will just explode."_

Ethel jumped back at that; "I am not coming anywhere near that thing!" She groaned loudly; "What did my ancestors did this time? That must had been put in before Mirabelle lost her powers."

"Doesn't matter, don't worry about it, I'll just-" Millie took a deep breath; "I hope these centuries haven't changed anything that would classify me as a Hubble Witch." She bit her lip, anguished and felt Ethel's hands on her shoulders;

"You have nothing to fear!" She said, forgetting her own drama, much unlike she would have had when she was much younger; "Mirabelle Hubble showed up at your tree. You are a Hubble, never doubt that." She stood besides her and her chin, lightly kissing her lips, then pulled away and gave her a confident smile.

Courage reinvigorated, Mildred took a deep breath and without hesitating put her hand upon the lid of the stand. A warm green light emanated from where Mildred's hand was touching and sounds like several locks being opened came from within, accompanied by what sounded like strong, heavy church bells, ringing, once, twice, Mildred looked up and around her, confused, observing Ethel, that didn't seem to be hearing it either, until a thirteenth chime, when the lid started to open in the middle, the two wood panels coming aside to reveal…

Not a Grimoire.

Mildred's shoulders feel, as disappointment rose in her; "I was hoping…" She whispered and Ethel got close again, putting her arm around her shoulders and rubbing it, looking into the stand;

"At least it isn't empty." Ethel said, pointing at a small corked bottle. It had some rustic strings around the neck, holding a piece of animal skin and a label. The blonde grabbed it, holding against the light of the orbs. "Looks like a vial of blood." She turned the label to herself. "No identification, erased by the time this was here, I guess." She opened the bottle and smelled it. "Blood and Century Potion to keep it from drying or spoiling."

Mildred picked the vial and examined it herself in Ethel's hand; "Who did this? Do you think someone stole it?"

"Unlikely with that spell on the stand. Must had been a Hubble who took it, hide it somewhere safer, I suppose."

"Somewhere I can't find." Mildred said, lowering her head.

Ethel put the vial in her pocket and hugged Mildred from behind; "If there is any clue here, it will probably be in the other books. Let's get to work then." She let go and turned Mildred to her, taking her hands in her own. "You remember the chant?"

Mildred nodded; "Just hope our living room has enough space for all of this." She took a deep breath and both closed their eyes, evoking a chant together in unison.

~0~

Maud Spellbody was working her ass off.

Fresh out of college she had acquired a very important job and the personal secretary of the counsel's very own "Head of Craft Development", a position she got through very good recommendation from one of her professors, a Mexican witch, Miss Clotilde Calaverita, to which Maud was a T.A. to most of her time in college.

The ancient witch had no more family left, never having had children of her own, mostly being used to the company of her familiar, a lovely dog called Satanas. She was not a big fan of people preferring to be on her own and cultivating a small, yet loyal and trustworthy circle of friends that she didn't saw as being being expanded any time soon, but there was something about Maud and her that made the two compatible.

The younger witch's merits made the wise witch not hesitate a moment before recommending, in fact almost demanding, that the head of Craft Development, a good friends of hers, hired the young witch.

The job paid better than most people could expect as soon as they came out from college and gave her the financial power to share an apartment with Enid in London… Once again.

In a most unexpected turn of events, turned out Enid and her actually did well sharing a space, despite their differences; the years in college, living together had gotten them into a kind of rhythm in which now they found they could easily fit into again and share an apartment with no problems or conflicts.

Plus, this time, there was much more space to go around.

Which could be bad such as when, say, you come back home after after a long day of work and has to drag yourself all the way to the sofa so you can fall into it, besides your friend.

"Rough day?" Enid asked, as Maud fell sitting besides her.

"Oh, you have no idea…" Maud breath out, trying to kick off her boots using only her feet without much success, until Enid herself moved to undo her boot laces; "Oh, Enid, you're an angel, you know that?" The shorter woman said, her voice barely showing an honest kind of gratitude.

"Alright, don't get weird." Enid said, removing her boots for her. "I swear if you start crying I am never doing this for you again." She threw the boots aside and moved a cushioned footstool so Maud could put her legs up. "There, that always helps my mum after a long performance. I assume you had to walk around a lot today, flaunting that sexy librarian look around." She grinned.

"Oh, Merlin, yes…" Maud ran her hand over her hair, undoing her topknot, her response and what Enid said slowly downing on her. "I mean; no- I mean- Yeah, I walk a lot, but… WHAT? What sexy librarian look?"

"You know; hair up, the glasses, the pencil skirt and white button up shirt." Nightshade explained, vaguely gesturing towards her friends; "Everything aside from that open granny sweater you have on."

"I am not wearing a pencil skirt and my shirt is blue!" Maud rolled her eyes as she stretches, holding her hands above her head, before bringing them behind it, starting to relax.

"Alright, maybe I imagined the skirt to make it sexier, but still, you are the sexy librarian." Enid admitted, but still looked at Maud with a grin.

"I am not even a librarian! I am a secretary." Spellbody pointed out, rolling her eyes once more.

Jokingly, Enid rose and lowered her eyebrows at that, saying; "In a way, that's even sexier."

Maud blushed, feeling rather peeved; "I do have a boyfriend, Enid."

She rolled her eyes in response; "I am hotter than him, and you can do much better, like me!" Enid winked at Maud, making her laugh.

Enid looked at her a half grin still on her face, as she looked away, back at her videogame. "I'll make dinner tonight."

"If you insist, I won't protest." Maud responded, crossing her stretched legs; "What do you have in mind?"

"How about some chop suey, sour and sweet pork and fried rice?" Enid inquired looking into their fridge curiously.

"Sounds great!" Maud raised an eyebrow. "What you looking for in the fridge?"

"The- AHA! Found the phone!" She smiled; "I knew I must have forgotten it in here while I was getting a can earlier today." She started to dial the food place number without even looking it up. "Hey there, Henrique! It's me! Give me the usual-"

~0~

"Some of these are quite rare." Sybil said, browsing through her sister-in-law's, of sorts, new book collection. "Oh wow, there is a copy of the 'Malejicis Protector'! Not even our library has this one!" Sybil extended her hand and pulled it off the shelf, just short of Ethel screaming at her;

"Don't-"

Sybil jumped back, almost dropping the book; "Why?"

"No reason." Mildred said with a giggle. It wasn't the moment, but she couldn't help it with Ethel's expression; "Your head didn't explode, so it's all fine."

"Uh…" Sybil looked from her sister to sister-in-law; "What?"

"There was an enchantment on the Grimoire stand." Mildred explained; "Saying that if someone that isn't a Hubble Witch that tried to open it would have their entrails tangled in a knot."

Sybil made a face; "Oh? Well, I suppose it makes sense: those were common back then. Witches were being persecuted all over the place, turning on each other, so they could be pretty dark."

"It also said that if it was a Hallow witch that touched it, their head would just explode." Ethel added with a huff; "No cute rhyme there either."

"What?" Sybil said said, distressed, before adding with a frown; "Our ancestors again then?"

"I would guess so, but I have no idea what specifically." Ethel responded. "At least now I know I can help." And start perusing the books in the shelves.

Mildred walked to Sybil, looking at the book she had in her hand; "Why is that book so important?"

"Well, it was a counterpoint to the 'Malleus Maleficarum', the book that witch hunters used to persecute us back then." Sybil explained. Though, never specially caring about Witchory, the witch hunts were always a topic that fascinated her.

Perhaps not the best topic for a witch that suffered from anxiety to be fascinated by, but there you go.

"Wasn't that mostly Inaccurate? Saying we make pacts with the devil and things like that." Mildred asked, coming to stand besides Sybil, observing the cover with rapt curiosity.

"Yes, but they were still in fact persecuting and killing us and even ordinary people, usually with flimsy or no evidence at all. There was a lot of paranoia and fear, so you didn't even had to cast a spell to attract attention, they were just so suspicious of everybody." Ethel interjected, and noticed the looks she got; "We had some legal problems on our end as well. A few witches would use magic to incriminate ordinary people they didn't like on purpose. It was just slightly more common than a witch exposing the other, since that got you in trouble with the council. To this day even."

"Even if no one would just scream 'witch' and point nowadays huh?" Mildred joked, but added soon after, looking at Sybil again; "I didn't know that, but still, it was far more common to have other people persecuting us?"

Sybil nodded; "So this book was written and given to witches that dedicated themselves to protecting other witches and innocent people that were caught in it. It has a collection of protection spells, how to escape prisons and make you able to endure torture if you must." The younger Hallow ran her hand over the cover before passing it to Mildred that opened it and started examining the inside; "Erik's family has a copy too, apparently. One of his ancestors helped a few people escape the Salem Witch Trials. Only a few were written and they tended to stay in the families of those who went out and helped."

"And now you know why the Hallows don't have one." Ethel chimed in, cynically

Millie looked up from her book; "You're too hard on your ancestors, love. Maybe lighten up a little." She looked down again and found notes at the end, some signed by Mirabelle Hubble herself.

"I will, but first you would have to tell me the name of a Hallow, from those times," she quickly added, seeing Sybil's expression, "that wasn't a rotten jar of frog's eyes."

"Abigail Hallow." Mildred read out loud from the book and looked up. "She was friends with Mirabelle apparently." She lowered her head again and read more as Ethel came to look at it over her shoulder; "They list several hiding locations all around England for witches and ordinary people escaping persecution to hide."

"Several hiding locations?" Ethel said with a grin; "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"That one of those locations could have the Grimoire in it?" Mildred smiled back; "Looks like we might have a big road trip ahead of us…" She turned the page and found a hand draw image of an map with what must had been hundred of points marked that when touched would enlarge the map and give more detailed overview of the proximity. "Several actually."

"Sounds like fun actually!" Sybil said, joining the two of them and looking at the map as well. When she was close to them something in her pocket vibrated, making Mildred jump forwards slightly. "Sorry! I think that's my smaglet." She shoved her hand in her pocket and pulled a smaller version of a maglet out. "Oh god, it's Bea and Clarice! I almost forgot I had promised to go out with them, I have to leave now before it's too late to go home later and mum complains about it for hours." She sighed tired; "Why did I went back to live with my parents?"

"Because instead of an actual profession you choose to study music and be a Chantress." Ethel responded, getting reproaching looks from both Mildred and Sybil, making her feel offended; "You asked!"

"I'll be going now, goodbye Mildred." The youngest blonde looked at her sister annoyed and disappeared in the air.

"God damn it Ethel…" Millie shook her head and put aside the 'Malejicis Protector' and pulled another book from the shelf.

Wisely, Ethel decided not to say nothing, just rolled her eyes and went on to take a look at the old potions ingredients, some of which might actually still be usable.

~0~

Ulysses Hallow was sitting upright in his bed, a book open in front of him, glasses perched at the tip of his nose, yet, his eyes could hardly concentrate on the page as Ursula was moisturizing. Now, not that was specially alluring, though, it was in a way, what really attracted his attention was the way she was doing it; furiously.

Slowly he moved his hand and took off his glasses, before calmly asking; "Something vexes you?"

Ursula stopped and looked at him over her shoulder, giving him the side eye that Ethel had inherited; "Of course something vexes me, Ulysses!" She huffed and walked towards the bed, pulling the covers off. "You know how much I love just take my bath, relax and think about my day, but that is just not possible with days like today!" She got under the covers, pulling them up to her waist.

Ulysses sighed, a pulled out his book marker from his bedside table, quietly marking his book; "Is this about your fight with Ethel?" he asked calmly put his book and glasses on the table in a neat manner.

"I don't know what's wrong with that girl." She waved and sighed. "Seems like she takes great pleasure in just contradicting me, she is insisting on the stupid doves, she is insisting on that silly relationship." Ursula crossed her arms. "She could have anyone she wanted, but instead, no, she has to have Mildred Hubble."

Mr. Hallow sighed; "Ursula, maybe it's time to just assume their relationship will last." He said, cautiously; "They have for years and seem happy together."

"No, they don't!" She said sharply, looking at Ulysses; "That's another thing she is doing just annoy me."

"For years?"

"Oh, tell me Ethel wouldn't do that!" Ursula raised an eyebrow, angry; "That girl is just like me! Do you remember the things I did in college just to get to my mother?"

Ulysses thought about for a second, then nodded; "Point, but you were also done with those when college was done."

"Yes, but it was because I found you!" She looked him in the eyes and took his hand. "You're the true love of my life; I couldn't go one having affairs once I really did found the person I wanted to be it," she smiled, making his heart melt, before she turned back to her rant "but I would have kept a relationship for years if we haven't met, just to annoy my mother! You bet! If Marie Sacrepomme wasn't the single most unbearable person I've ever met, I would have kept a relationship with her for years just for that!"

"I guess it's not impossible…" Ulysses said, a little unsure of himself. He didn't actually believe what Ursula was saying, but his instinct to agree with his wife was stronger than him. So much he found himself finding justifications; "Ethel has always been the one that was most like you of all of our girls."

"Exactly!" Ursula agreed, a light bulb practically going over her head as she clearly had an idea; "Of course!" She snapped her fingers, making her maglet show up in her hand.

"What?" Mr. Hallow looked at his wife, knowing that expression, but was he soon quieted by a quick kiss.

"You'll see!" She smiles and starts taking notes.

Ulysses sighs, deciding that, perhaps, it's better for him to go to sleep and leave Ursula to whatever scheme or plan she had in mind for now.

~0~

Pippa Pentangle rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger, under her glasses, trying to massage the tiredness away without much success when she heard a knock at her door. She took her hand away and tried to look alive as she responded to the knock;

"Yes? Come in?" She asked and, in a gesture that managed to be both flippant and regal, opened the door. She looked surprised at the person coming in; "Geraldine? I told you, you could go to sleep, dear." Her voice was motherly, but tired.

"I couldn't until I was done with these." Gerry said, putting a small pile of documents in front of Pippa. "The new applications are coming in in droves. Everybody wants to be a teacher at Pentangles." The black haired woman grinned. "I applied all the parameters you told me to and we still have a hefty list." She pointed at the small pile, that, for her credit, was a small mountain when she started.

Pippa inflated her cheeks as she looked upon it, letting the air out in a tired huff; "Well, I'll take a look tomorrow." She looked up at Gerry, elbow resting on the table, as she put her chin upon her palm and observed her; "And I told you to go several hours ago."

"I am not tired." The black haired woman shrugged. "I rather finish my work today and not be forced to deal with it tomorrow." She admitted.

"That's smart, but so it is to get enough sleep." Pippa said countered, removing her glasses. "Something we should both do." She started putting her things away and Gerry came to help. "You're coming out as a greater assistant than I expected."

Gerry gare a serene smile; "Just doing my job, nothing more, nothing less."

"We both know that's not true; You go above and beyond usually." Pippa stood up when they were done; "So, how are you doing?" She asked, her tone of voice leaving quite clear that it had a specific meaning.

"So many years and you still ask me that." Gerry smiled, looking down to pick up her purse.

"Well, so many years, and still matters." Pippa replied. They started walking down the hallway towards the wing of the teachers and staff. "Plus, I do know it still affects you."

"It does…" Gerry admitted. "For over half a decade I wasn't myself and I've done awful things in the meantime." She looked down to the floor, following the red, purple and black tiles with her eyes just slightly beyond her, her eyes not really seeing them as her mind went once again, as it would from time to time, to Mildred Hubble. "I lost so much..."

"I know…" Pippa responded. "I know how that feels." In her mind was Hecate. Their friendship reattached and strong, but she knew that the love was less likely to be re-ignited. She looked at her and Miss Cackle and was certain of it, the looks they exchanged made her feel, well, probably as Gerry did when she saw Ethel and Mildred together.

Except Ethel and Mildred were smart enough to know they were in love, while Hecate and Ada seemed to still be in some form of denial over the whole thing, or perhaps even just keeping things private from the pupils for the sake of professionalism, and from Pippa, well, for the sake of her heart.

Actually, knowing Hecate, she was more likely to not be aware. The first time she and Pippa kissed, the young Hardbroom just stared at her friend for about a minute before nodding and going back to her work, as if she had understood something. The deep blush on her cheek was proof she was bluffing, and Pippa had to make her stop and explain exactly what just had happened.

Pippa smiled to herself at that memory, even if now it was a little bittersweet, and her face showed her thoughts very well and Gerry could tell in which realm they were in;

"I think you do…" Gerry added, cutting her thoughts.

"We share that… You can't let the past be the only thing to build your future upon."

"That's sound advice, since I can't even trust my own past, I suppose." The black haired woman looked at her and Pippa smile.

"You are the person you choose to be Gerry, and now you can be yourself without influences."

"It's been years since then and I still don't know who I am." Fern rubbed her eyes. "It was strange, right after it happened, I went into this 'I am fine' mentality, it was all I cared about; Being fine! Yes, I left the course I thought I loved, but now couldn't tell anymore. I went back to the thing I knew I loved before I got possessed, but… All this time, I still don't know. I feel like I can't trust myself and never will again-" She was suddenly silenced by a warm hug.

"Don't say that…" Pippa said gently "It's all you now."

"Might be," Gerry admitted, hugging her back feeling some tears swell in her eyes, "but I don't know what that means."

"Then… We'll find out."

~0~

Hours had passed and they had mostly managed to catalogue about one sixth of the books that they brought with them, and one third of the potion ingredients, most of which were unusable, but a few of which where in fact, made stronger and more valuable by age.

"Do you have any idea how much money an entire mandrake pickled in bat drool brine is worth?" Ethel said carefully putting the jar in the 'good' section of the shelves.

Mildred made a face; "No, but that does sound incredibly disgusting."

"You think it sounds disgusting? You should smell it. Still extremely valuable. Mother had to devise a whole alternative for it in our family's potions lab or else half of our yearly budget for ingredients would go just go to buying those."

"Your mother seems to have done that a lot from what I heard." Mildred smiled lightly, by this point getting used to Ethel having some story of her mother's ability as a potion's mistress or business woman, even if her track record as a mother was not all that in Ethel's eyes.

"She does… Nan and mother did a great job making the family business profitable again, after the mess great-grandma did." Ethel stretched like a cat and yawned. "I think we've done enough for today." Lazily, she walked towards Mildred and hugged her from behind, putting her head on her shoulder and kissing her cheek.

"You're probably right." Mildred held her arm and turned around to hug her, still frowning a little to herself; "Yet, I feel like I should- I don't know, I should go on till it's done so I can start looking all of this up and-" She felt a cool hand on her chin as her girlfriend pulled her into a deep kiss, arms hugging her tighter.

Ethel moved her hand from her chin to her jaw, then the back of her head, sinking her fingers in her hair, playing with her scalp and making Mildred moan as she held her head to deepen the kiss. Soft lips moving against each other as her other hand moved down to Mildred's flannel shirt, starting to push it off her shoulder.

Millie grinned, helping her out in removing her shirt; "I think you're pretty determined to not let me work on this anymore, aren't you?" she whispers, while lowering her head to kiss her neck, before putting her arms around her.

"Am I that transparent?" The blonde smiled, slowly laying her down onto the ridiculously fluffy carpet.

Mildred sneaked a hand to the back of her neck; "I learned to read you with time." She whispered, pulling her love to a deep, but gentle kiss. "We could go to our room you know?"

"Hmmmm, nah" Ethel grinned. "Too far, we can break something and it's easier to just transfer our covers and pillows here once we are done."

The brunette chuckled "Once we are done? My my, you're quite needy tonight…" She kissed down her neck, opening her shirt; "Alright, I'll give you everything you want then." She whispered between kisses, going lower down her body, feeling her love shiver under her touch.

Around them, potion ingredients and books were left forgotten, at least for now, but one knows the ever demanding nature of magic, magical things and magical beings and magical blood and how they suddenly, might demand attention, especially when suddenly, after so long asleep, those find themselves drown in an aura of pure love.

(tbc)


	4. Chapter 3 - Growing Up Isn't Easy

**Chapter 3 - Growing Up Isn't Easy**

The sun has never had much respect for trespassing, so it has no problems invading someone's room early in the morning, shining upon their face with light and warmth without any regard for if the person wanted to be woken up at all and all Ethel could do was growl and move her head away, then her body, seeking protection at the shadow of her girlfriend.

She wasn't there, but what she did found where pillows that smelled enough like her to be a little satisfactory. She then remembered that the night before, she was pretty sure of it, she had fallen asleep in their living room and sighed. Mildred must have brought her to bed before cruelly leaving her behind to do whatever.

After rolling in bed a little more, Ethel finally sighed and sat up, stretching before standing up tiredly, throwing a sleeping shirt on, dragging herself out of the room, stopping at the end of the corridor, looking into the living room, at Mildred sitting on the sofa, a book on her lap as she read it with rapt attention, around her even more books that had been taken from the shelves.

"Back to cataloging then?" Ethel, grinning a little, walking towards her and kissing her gently.

Mildred looked up surprised and then smiled, kissing her back. "Yeah, I couldn't help it, there is a lot of interesting stuff here. A lot of these are hand written! I found a diary by" She paused to read the name in the front page; "Amalia Hubble. She wrote about traveling to the middle east and meeting fairies in Ireland, riding a dragon across the seas and meeting an indigenous tribe in South America, this is amazing!" Millie looked at Ethel with an open smile. "Oh, I made coffee! And there is still some cake left, I didn't do anything else, sorry."

Ethel waved her off, walking towards the kitchen. She poured herself coffee and got a piece of cake, sitting in one of the high chairs by the kitchen counter; "Riding a dragon is quite a feat, and the fae have become quite reclusive ever since the industrial revolution. They don't talk to humans much anymore, magical or otherwise."

"Yeah, I remember Miss Bat talking about in our classes, how being in our world, specially big cities apparently weakened them, though, she did mention that more powerful faes can stay here without being hurt. She did say she and Mr. Rowan-Webb believe to have met a noble fairy once, but she was in human form."

"I doubt that's the case." Ethel said taking a bite of the cake; "You know Miss Bat's memory isn't that trustworthy…"

"Might be, but from what I am reading about them, it might had been true." Mildred cleared her throat and quoted; " _The fair people seem to have a special sensibility to love and passion. They are very emotional and artistic creatures and seem to have a special kinship to those that share those traits. However, due to their nature, they often mix forms of passion and love in ways that may seem, at least to us, in our culture, rather improper._ "

Mildred gave Ethel a significative look before continuing:

" _Due to my own magical nature, I found myself to be rather susceptible to their influence._

 _Queen Mab herself present and while trying to explain to her why traveling, exploration and discovering the new was so important to me, I was suddenly taken by a bout of passion, a loss of inhibition, that got me involved in a Bacchanalian feast with the fair people. Yet, despite knowing the initial spark came from the effect of their magic, I did felt like I could stop and leave when ever I wanted to… I just found myself honestly not wanting to._ "

Ethel stopped chewing her cake, looking at Mildred; "Your ancestor got into, no wait… Your ancestor STARTED a fairy orgy?"

"Yup!" Mildred grinned; "Remember how Miss Bat reacted when you asked why she and Mr. Rowan-Webb suspected the woman she met was a fairy?"

Yes, she did… She remembered Miss Bat blushing and looking away, changing the subject in a moment without bringing it up again. Ethel was stunned for a few seconds before looking at Mildred again; "And what else did you found?"

~0~

Enid had had breakfast with her mother while her father was away, playing wizball with a few friends Nathan had kept since school, a kind of tradition they had that rarely went fulfilled due to tight schedules, and therefore rarely the opportunity was missed, but the lack of her father there probably contributed to what had happened.

The young Nightshade knew she was wrong. She had been mooching off her parents since she finished college, keeping it cool the whole time, but Narcissa would not have any more of that gave her daughter a very simple ultimatum; Either get a job or be cut out. No more money, no more full expenses paid, and worse of all, no more apartment and this time, this time, the determination in Narcissa's eyes told Enid that she meant it.

A part of her wanted to go against all of that because, well, it was her nature. To rebel, to go against the current, but about three things stopped her; The admission that she was indeed mooching off her parents, she knew that. The fact that Maud now lived with her, and she didn't want to force her friend into financial strain, after offering and INSISTING for her to come live with Enid again no less, because she couldn't pay for an apartment at the moment and finally-

Well, the last one she couldn't explain, in all truth. Getting a job just felt right.

So she opened the classifies on her maglet and started looking up jobs she felt qualified for, which for someone with an actual diploma from a college, after years of studying a field, seemed absolutely freaking impossible!

"I love sleeping late." Maud said, leaving her room with a big, tired smile on her face. "Reminds me of being home during summer vacation." She stretched and Enid looked up, smiling at her. "So, what you're doing?"

"Looking for a job."

"Oh, really?" Maud said surprised.

Enid looked at her and asked in a laughing voice; "Is that really that surprising?"

Maud blushed. "Well, a little, to be honest. I wasn't expecting you to do that any time soon," She responded honestly, moving to the kitchen to make some tea "you got it good as it is."

"Well, everybody has to grow up one day." Enid shot back, still smiling mockingly, but something inside of her, a spark of sorts, shinned with… She didn't know, something that felt right, and she didn't quite like it, so much she put the maglet aside and changed the subject; "So, talking about the day, what is our schedule for today specifically?"

"For you? I don't know. I have a date later, in the afternoon."

"Oh!" Enid said, sounding slightly disappointed even for her own surprise.

Maud looked at the wall watch; "I should go get ready really, thanks for remind me. Can you finish making the tea for me?"

"Sure." Enid shrugged and stood up.

"Thanks!" Maud said with a smile and left for her room, while Enid asked herself if the day could get any worse for her… Until she suddenly stopped, raising an eyebrow to herself. What the hell was she even doing? Moping around wasn't her style, unless things got really bad, this was not really bad.

She was too cool to be that depressed and mopey, she had to get out there, get a job, prove she could be responsible and grown up without losing what made her who she was; Enid Nightshade! An awesome cool witch that could take over the world if she decided to! She raised her chin high and got her maglet putting a search for jobs… As a bartender.

Hey, everybody has to start somewhere.

~0~

The first stop in their search for the grimoire, first stop based on the new info, was right around the corner, literally.

"Well, the pub owner was friendly." Mildred said, following Ethel down to the basement of the place, where some barrels were kept. She looked around and pulled out a piece of a paper, a copy from a page of the "Malejicis" and used a light spell after making sure no one was watching them. Carefully, they started looking around the walls for the same making from the book.

"Jealous?" Ethel asked with a grin and Mildred rolled her eyes, making the blonde laugh. "I come here after work on the way home sometimes." She started looking on the walls as well; "You didn't know about it?"

"No." Mil responded simply; "You know I don't drink much, and I am not a big fan of pubs, I prefer-"

"Cafes, I know." The blonde finished for her; "That's why I never invite you over for drinks with my colleagues. Plus, when you worked in the museum, I am sure you went to a lot of Cafes, sitting around, talking about art."

Mildred chuckled and shrugged; "We did actually, but it was mostly making fun of a few things."

Ethel pushed a barrel to the side, examining behind it, her voice muffled when; "What could you possibly- Found it!" She called, making Mildred run to her side and look at the symbol. She extended her fingers and touched the surface of it, causing it to glow, a light going all around the bricks in the wall, creating a door that slowly opened to stairs.

"So, who do you drink with usually?" Mildred asked, looking at Ethel, finding the amazing spectacle quite blazè by that point. She illuminated the stairs and started walking down them, followed by Ethel.

"Whoever wants to come with me, but it's usually the other people that just started out." Ethel responded with a shrug "Back in college it was-"

"Nick, Charlie and later Gerry, I know." Millie smiled, her eyes on the stairs, carefully going down the uneven steps, an old medieval tactic to throw off invaders. "I remember Nick bringing you home a few times, knocking on the front door, plopping you in my arms and just transferring away." She chuckled, remembering how that too became just something she would do, take Ethel to bed, help her strip and then go to sleep besides her.

Ethel nodded; "Yeah, Nick is a good friend… Took in stride my mother turning him into a pig for a whole week too."

"He was more ashamed by his ungentleman-like commentaries about you." Mildred said, as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Or maybe he said that because he was afraid of my mum."

"That's another possibility, yes." Mildred smiled at her, before moving to examine the room, holding the light above herself, the mirth starting to disappear from her face. "Looks… Pretty empty."

"Let's make sure before passing that judgement, the book did mention that to keep secrecy they would carv and emboss things on the walls with magic," Ethel pulled out a bright blue potion; "either way, it would have been a lot of luck to find it in the very first place we looked." She added, trying to comfort her girlfriend.

"I know," Mildred responded, touching one of the walls; "but would be pretty great to have that luck."

The blonde grinned and nodded in agreement, before dropping some of the potion on the floor and reciting; "Reveal what has been lost, bring forth what was embossed." The potion glowed white for a few seconds before going back to its usual bright blue colour.

Mildred frowned; "So… Does that mean-?" but before she finishes her question the potion started to run in lines from the floor to the wall, covering neigh invisible grooves in the wall, making them glow in what looked like a random string of letters arranged in a block, like it was a word search.

"I- It looks like an ancient spell." Ethel said; "No, the letter are random, they don't repeat themselves in different order but the same letters each line." Counts; "Thirteen by thirteen, what do you think it means?"

"Could be a code." Millie said, hope renewed as pulled out a pen and paper and starting to take note of the letters in their exact order. "Might help us find the grimoire or at least just more stuff about my family."

The blonde snaps her fingers making the letters imprint on the paper when Mildred is still on the first five, but just before the potion fades; "It's not a long-lasting potion." Ethel shrugged as the other woman jumped to her feet and kissed her.

"Thank you!" Mildred said happily. "Time to go home and enjoy the rest of our Sunday before you have to get back to work tomorrow." She stretched.

"Sunday?" The blonde raised an eyebrow; "Mildred, it's Monday."

"Really? Why aren't you working then?"

"I got a day off." Ethel explained, leaving out the long details of her job that explained how the hell she managed that on a Monday.

"Oh that explains it…" Mildred said and then paused, suddenly remembering something; "And then my interview… At Cackles." She pulled Ethel's wrist up to look at her watch. "Oh god, I am late! I don't have time to go home and change! Miss Hardbroom will skin me alive!"

Ethel kissed her deeply, pulling back. "Don't worry, I can transfer you there right now!"

"You're the best!"

"I know!" And with a snap, Ethel sent her away.

~0~

Delicate, long, slender fingers with perfectly manicured nails reached for the iconic watch hanging around her neck, as she carefully opened the lid and looked inside to see the time, trained eyes, used to seeing the face upside down, had veiled eyebrows come over them in annoyance as she announced;

"She is late." Hecate said, in a clipped tone to Miss Cackle, sitting in front of her.

"What is that, Hecate?" Ada asked, looking up from her papers.

Hecate took a deep breath; "Mildred Hubble is la-" Mildred was then transferred in, landing sitting in front of Miss Cackle; "-te."

"Hi, Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom!" Millie sat straight up in the chair, big bright smile on her face; "I am ready for my interview!"

Hecate immediately moved behind Mildred, lowering her head, looking her in the eyes, her voice holding a powerful edge; "Are you, really, Mildred Hubble? Are you really ready for this?"

"I-I do think so." The young woman responded, swallowing dry.

"We'll see about that." Hardbroom narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, we shall." Miss Cackle said, with a friendly smile. "If you could take a seat, Hecate?"

~0~

Dotted around the world are the hidden features of a secret magical society, one that despite its magical overtones was still made of, or at least mostly made of, humans, and if there is something to know about humans is that they need to, and deep down enjoy, working and are big fans of companionship and drinking.

It comes as no surprise that big economical centres in the ordinary world, are the same ones as the magical ones. After all, in the confusion of a big city centre who has the time to notice the odd witch or wizard walking around, specially when those have usually the good sense to keep their robes, conic hats and capes pressed and clean in their wardrobes and closets for big occasions.

Right out of her work in the "Modern Witch" magazine, Felicity Foxglove's received a message from an old friend that she had recently become acquainted with.

"Ethel!" She waved from the bar as the blonde witch walked into the pub, observing as she came to sit besides her. "You don't look like you're just out of a lawyer office."

"I am not." Ethel sighed, crossing her legs atop the bar stool; "It's my day off, I was helping Mildred in her search when she suddenly realized it was Monday."

"Still looking for the grimoire, right?" Felicity asked, drinking from her cup as Ethel nodded in confirmation, while telling the bartender what drink she wanted, the journalist remembering something; "She has an interview right?"

"At Cackles."

"Oh bats, that great! I hope she gets it." Felicity said, a small smile on her lips. "I miss that place sometimes… Being frozen in the potions lab and all." She sighed tired; "Life was so much simpler. We were happy and we didn't know."

Ethel raised an eyebrow, putting her hand under her chin and observing her, making it clear she didn't quite agree with that; "Your nostalgia tells me you're overworked."

"I assume Cackles has other connotations for you now, taking in account you're practically married to Mildred."

"Oh no, Cackles was great, I was awful." The blonde admitted, getting a laugh from Felicity for it;

"You were not so bad."

"I find that very hard to believe myself." A third person said behind her, causing Ethel to turn to look at the unexpected presence.

"Oh, Mr. Spellbinder." She said, sitting up on her chair slightly more straight and poised.

Felicity felt like she saw that before, mostly because she definitely did, it was the same posture Ethel used to assume when Miss Hardbroom or the great wizard were present. She knew who it was and turned in her sit to watch.

"Miss. Hallow, please, we're not at work. You can call me Arthur." He smiled and took a seat. "Oh, Miss Foxglove, I haven't seen you there."

"I realized that." Felicity grinned and took a sip from her drink.

"You know Felicity?" Ethel asked, with her most pleasant tone.

"I interviewed him." Felicity said simply with a shrug.

He turned once again to Ethel; "I wasn't expecting to see you here… Are you especially fond of this pub? I thought it was just the place where people reunited after work." He gave her a teasing grin; "Came here to rub your day off on your colleagues face?"

Ethel chuckled, a little more emphatically than necessary and denied it, still paying full attention to him.

Arthur Spellbinder was a few years older than them and was among the first few assignments that Felicity was given, and she was impressed by him at least as far as expectations go; she was used to wizards like him, or in his position, being far less pleasant than he turned out to be.

She was fully aware she was being ignored, but her instincts told her better, so Felicity was perfectly quietly as she observed them carry a whole conversation in which Ethel was her old school self, sucking up to a superior, but Arthur's interests were obviously less professional:

"Well, whatever reason you did come, I am glad to see you today." He said, bright white smile on his lips as he still looked at Ethel with a kind of light in his eyes.

"I wanted to meet Felicity, we barely have time to see each other in person." Ethel explained, maintaining the stiff smile and forced friendly tone to her voice. "I was very happy when I found out she works just a few buildings down."

"Oh, so you have catching up to do, I assume?" Arthur said, looking at Felicity for the second time since the whole conversation started. "I apologize then, ladies I didn't mean to interfere." He said, suddenly remembering himself and blushing a little at it. "Nobody wants their boss' son around when they are trying to have a friendly conversation." He bowed his head to each in turn and left with a goodbye.

"He is into you." Felicity said, a small smile coming to her face as Ethel was finally able to relax once again.

"I know," Ethel admitted, finally being able to get the vacuous smile off her face; "but he haven't said or tried anything, he is just friendly." She shrugged before adding; "And he is my boss' son, so I have to be nice to him."

"Also, there is Mildred." Felicity added.

"Oh yes, he was so sad when she asked about her picture and I said she was my girlfriend." Ethel smiled. "He is very handsome… Maybe another time, another place."

"But you're happy now, aren't you?" Felicity asked ad grinned as Ethel opened an sincere smile, a rare sight to see;

"Yes… Never been happier honestly." She blushed. Admitting that was not easy for her to do, such an open honest expression of happiness, such feeling was not something a Hallow was not supposed to show.

Felicity took pity on her old friend; "Alright, enough of that, before you burst a vessel for blushing so much." Not too much pity of course; "Tell me about this interview Mildred is having."

~0~

Mildred was doing very well, all things considered, and all things in this case were Miss Hardbroom walking back and forth behind her as Miss Cackle continued to conduct the interview. She had started pleasant, inquiring after Mildred and her family, asking about Ethel and Tabby, before getting into the nitty gritty, inquiring about her experience and commenting on her college grades and recommendation;

"Now I spoke directly with Mistress Hexencraft about your credentials," Miss Cackle said, calmly "and I am impressed by your experience Mildred, I really am, but academical work is very different from dealing with children in a Museum environment with their teachers there. Being an actual teacher requires a completely different kind of experience."

The young woman was crestfallen; "Oh, I see…"

"Yes, yes, you'll obviously need the guidance of someone with more experience with being a teacher and that's why I asked Miss Hardbroom to be here today. Hecate has agreed to guide you through the more demanding steps of teaching."

Mildred looked up, at miss Cackle and then at Miss Hardbroom that gave a lordly look to the girl.

"Miss Hardbroom." She said, a small smile coming to her lips as she turned back to look at Miss Cackle; "So I am hired?"

"Well, yes… At least on a trial basis." Ada said holding back on a bright smile.

"That sounds familiar." Mildred gave a slight smile.

Ada smiled back at her; "Indeed."

Miss Hardbroom, in a far less joyful voice, spoke up; "And as the last time," her clipped, dangerous voice interrupted; "you better not expect for me to go easy on you, Mildred" she paused, giving it her usual effect "Hubble."

Mildred smiled at her brightly, eyes filling up with tears a little for the absolute shock of Miss Hardbroom that did not foresee how her words ended up causing a certain wave of nostalgia in the young woman that said; "I would never expect less than that from you."

Hardbroom stared at her during a long pause. "Good!"

Ada hold back a laugh looking at them both; "Looking forwards to see you in the staff meeting before the classes start. I'll be sending the materials as soon as they are available, Mildred."

"Thank you, Miss Cackle!"

"We're colleagues now." Miss Cackle stood up, Mildred following her with her eyes as she came around the table to stand beside her, one hand gently around her back; "You may call me Ada."

"I promise I'll try to get used to that." Mildred said with a grin, before suddenly hugging; "Thanks for the opportunity, Miss Cackle!" She looked at HB: "Miss Hardbroom! I better go…" She gave a radiant smile; "I can't wait to tell Ethel!" And transferred away in a second.

"I hope we're not making a terrible mistake." HB mumbled to herself.

"Now, now, Hecate, what could possibly go wrong?" Ada asked, with confidence, almost unaware of how much she was tempting fate.

~0~

Mildred took a deep breath, leaning against her flat door, still hardly able to believe. Yes, she would have to get some special training from Miss Hardbroom, but… SHE GOT THE JOB! She was working at Cackles as off right now! She was employed in a place that meant a lot to her, things were going right!

The only thing missing was to find the Grimoire, then everything would be perfect… Though it wasn't to say it wasn't perfect, in a way, right now.

She let the air out and took another deep breath, this time letting out a happy sigh right after as she picked up her maglet and quickly typed a message to Ethel. She felt a commemoration was in order and knew that Ethel would agree.

(tbc)


	5. Chapter 4 - Wish That Time Would Hurry B

**Chapter 4 - Wish That Time Would Hurry By**

Julie Hubble still lived in the same flat she shared with Mildred until she left for college. It was a Saturday, and she was hosting, for the lack of a better word, what was supposed to be a family lunch over at her house, but unfortunately, neither her mother nor sister could make it that day, so she found herself surrounded by three witches that day; Her daughter, her daughter's girlfriend and her very excited niece.

"I can't believe you'll be my teacher in my last year!" Hattie was practically jumping at the news.

"If I do well, hopefully." Mildred said, a little embarrassed and blushing a little, suddenly very worried about disappointing her cousin. "If HB doesn't deem me too bad at things to do and demands Miss Cackle to fire me before the start of the year."

"Of course she won't." Ethel said, her tone equal parts dismissive and assertive. "And if she does, who could she possibly get to substitute you in such short notice?"

"It's not like they never went without an art's teacher before." Mildred pointed out.

"Alright, but where else would they find someone with your specific talent? That's why training you is important for them. You'll do great, stop worrying."

"Honestly, don't take it badly, love, but I am a little surprised they didn't demand you took a teaching certificate first." Julie said, coming to sit on her chair, putting the tea kettle on the table.

"Usually they would, but they are willing to open a few exceptions is seems." Mildred blushed.

"Having a gift is considered more than enough to land you a few jobs, as long as you use them and get basic training from a certificated person." Hattie said, pouring herself some tea, the information fresh on her head from all the research she was doing, so she could maybe figure out what she was going to do with her life now that Cackles was coming to close.

Julie raised her eyebrow, dubiously. "And HB is certificated?"

Ethel looked at her with a raised eyebrow, not really catching why Julie sounded like that, but Mildred did and responded with a small chuckle followed by; "Well mum, you know that witching community is not quite like the ordinary world. Their teaching methods are different."

"Oh yes, the Code, I assume." Julie deduced.

"It dictates every aspect of our lives." Ethel said, raising her chin.

"And it's hardly ever changed." Hattie added, a lot less happy or prideful towards the subject.

"It should." Mildred interjected and looked at Ethel. "And you know that."

"I do, but not everything in it is wrong, just outdated." The blonde leaned back on her chair. "A lot of the code was written shortly after the hunt started and reflect the times they were written in."

"The hunt?" Julie asked curiously.

"The witch hunt." Ethel explained. "Somethings were there since before even Merlin; Protect the founding stone, don't use your powers for selfish or evil ends, don't abuse your power, somethings were added by him, like the importance of guiding younger witches and wizards, but a lot of it was added for the good of our self-preservation in a world that went from seeing us as healers and helpers to seeing us as enemies allied with the Devil. Those were desperate times so a lot of rules, mostly related to secrecy and preserving our society, were made quickly for our protection."

"That explains certain parts of it." Julie interjected; "There is a lot of emphasis in self-reliance and looking after other witches when possible, especially the younger ones. I suppose that works with their view on education."

"It used to be very personal." Ethel explained. "Families being responsible for educating their young. Institutions like Cackles have existed for centuries, but in times of persecution, putting all of your children in a school away from you was not something a lot of witches were comfortable with. Not to mentions Hedge Witches and the like."

"I believe your friend Cressie is one of those, right?" Mildred asked her cousin that nodded in agreement, her mouth full of shortcake;

"Yes, Cressie is one." Hettie explained, a few crumbs flying from her mouth. "First person in her family to go to an actual school. Her mum was pretty resistant apparently."

Julie; "Alright, I got it, it's Mildred's abilities then that count the most, I can understand that." She took a sip from her tea and looked at Millie again; "You're going to be a great teacher love; you're patient and passionate."

Her daughter smiled at her, still unsure of herself, but she decided that, perhaps, it wasn't the best to bring it up again now. There was much to come, training and thought. She was very nervous, of course, after all, her first day, next Monday, was almost there, and she was also supposed to go to a fancy dinner at the Hallow house where they would officially announce Esme's engagement and have a little engagement party.

Mildred wasn't looking forwards to that either, but at least, Ethel and her would have the whole Sunday all for themselves.

~0~

"You're late again." Enid said, looking at the mirror call. Her face and voice uncharacteristically humourless as she looked at the handsome man in the mirror.

"Yeah, I know," Marcus Pavão said pushing his glasses up his nose bridge, trying to smile and then added quickly; "but I have a good reason for it."

Enid rolled her eyes; "You're not coming, aren't you?"

"Yes..." He sighed. "Can you please tell Maud for me? Tell her I am sorry! Something just came up."

The woman crossed her arms, patience running thin; "Oh, yes, 'something'. You never to explain what that something is, but there is always something coming up isn't there? It's almost like everything else is more important for you than her, since this is the third week you do this!"

Marcus huffed. He was tired of getting those snide remarks from Enid raised an eyebrow and shot back: "It's work stuff, obviously you wouldn't know about that." feeling quite triumphant with himself.

Enid just crooked an eyebrow; "On a Saturday? Again?"

"Every day is the day for networking." He said, puffing up slightly and Enid held back the urge to vomit.

"Specially when you usually have the charisma of a puffer fish."

"Are you going to tell her for me or not?"

"If I say no, what are you going to do? You already called here when you know she is out." Enid pointed out. Maud was very particular with her schedule and Enid knew that Marcus knew about it, because he made a point of how much that annoyed him, saying his 'entrepreneurial ambitions could not be put to a set schedule like that' or some such bullshit excuse he would come up with. "And we both know you won't come here, don't we? Don't worry, I will." Without a second thought she ends the call, huffing and falling back on her sofa.

It was so unfair with Maud! She worked so hard she would usually spend her week looking forwards to seeing that damned asshole, only for him to cancel on her like that, which would always unavoidably result on Maud ending up bored on the sofa, watching whatever and feeling depressed.

'Well, not this time!' Enid thought determined, readying herself for the challenge for that day; Convincing Maud to go out and have fun with her!

Would have been much easier if Mildred was free as well, but well, she was up for the job anyway.

'Hold on to your butt, Maud Marion Spellbody! The fun train is coming for you!'

~0~

"No no! I said, royal purple, not violet!" Ursula groaned, as she changed the colours of the table cloth herself, before turning to the organizer; "Is the catering all in order?"

"Yes ma'am, everything is going according to schedule." The organizer was a relatively young witch that was usually very self-confident… Which was hard to maintain around Ursula Hallow, specially when Ursula was in a bad mood;

"Well, obviously not everything since the catheters were running an hour late." She pointed out, huffing as she made sure they got the right silverware.

"Yes, but we did fix everything and put it in motion ma'am," the organizer said, rather proud of herself for not stuttering; "there is nothing to worry about."

"I will have nothing to worry about when someone can give me confirmation that things are being prepared in the kitchen!"

The organizer stood straight; "Yes ma'am, right away!" for a second, she actually considered giving the woman a military salute, but was able to stop herself just before she left for the kitchen.

"You're more stressed about this than usual…" Ulisses said, finally approaching his wife after observing her for sometime. He did so with caution, keeping his voice calm.

"This is very important!" She said, turning to look at him, noticing something; "You're more chipper than I expected… Usually hate when your kitchen has to be 'taken over'," she air quoted; "as you put it."

"I hate it with all of my heart, but this obviously means a lot to you…" Ulisses said, trying to hide he was starting to get suspicious of her excessive zeal, even as he added; "Even if I have no idea why."

"It's a party, of course it's important." Ursula evaded, in a not very convincing manner.

Ulisses, however, knew his wife very well and slowly started putting pieces together in his head, reaching for the guest list and started reading; "The Casters, the Mandragoras, the Halliwells," he made a face "I really hope their American cousins aren't visiting, the Spellmans, the Spellbinders- Spellbinders? Ethel is working for their firm now, isn't she?"

"So did your sister for a long time!" Ursula dismissed… A bit too quickly.

"You just never invited them before, that's all. We are not exactly in the same circles, we usually didn't."

"Well, last party I went in your sister's house, I ended up having a long talk with Galatea Spellbinder, and we have a lot in common!" Ursula explained, before giving some instructions around.

Ulisses frowned at that, mostly because he knew it wasn't true. He knew that Galatea had nothing in common with Ursula, because he knew Galatea, she was in his cooking club, he had a lot in common with her, but Ursula, who couldn't boil water without ending up a lump of coal from the experience, most certainly didn't.

~0~

Mildred walked down the streets to the nearby mini-marked alone, since Ethel wasn't keen on walking.

She moved slowly, hands in her pockets, following a well-known path from her childhood on the way to buy some things her mother needed, it was one of those small things she enjoyed doing and saw no reason to use magic for, after all, a walk is always good, specially when you can stop and look at how much things had changed. Or didn't.

It had been about five, six years since she last followed that route to the market. It was one she was used to, reminded her of being young and being sent to buy things for the house that her mother and her needed, or sometimes just skipping down there herself, buy something or another for herself.

'I wonder if Cosy's still exists.' She wondered about the old tea and cake shop, pretty sure that if it did, Ethel would love those chocolate cupcakes they used to have. Maybe she could even bring some of those passion fruit ones for her mother! She had no idea what Hattie would like. Strawberry maybe? Blueberry? She knew it was a berry, that much she knew.

Her musing were interrupted however, by a single, loud, and pathetic whimper of a puppy, which immediately caused her to stop her on her tracks to follow the sound, and hidden between the houses she found a cardboard box on its side, a flap covering the interior and out of it stuck the leg of a grown dog.

"Hello…" She called, expecting the leg to stir, not wanting to move the flap without letting the dog know she was there, but there was not response, not stirring; "Puppy, you alright?" She slowly reached for the flap and lifted it; inside the box a mother and her puppies lying on the floor, unmoving;

"Oh no…" She whispered to herself, looking at the box with more care until she saw one of the puppies move when the sun hit him. He tried to whimper and cry like he did to attract her, but the tiny creature was too weak by now, family already gone, Mildred wondered for a second how long the puppy was there alone before deciding it didn't matter.

She only took a second to make sure the other puppies and their mother were beyond being helped, before picking up the tiny dog and transferring right to the bathroom stall of the nearby vet.

~0~

It's an absolute fact that after giving a friend some bad news, you must also give them some time to absorb them and decide upon their feelings over it, the problem is getting through it as you're looking at your friend's expression as it slowly falls into a saddened one, and their eyes fill with tears.

Enid couldn't stand that part.

"Come on, it's not that bad." She said, sitting besides her friend and holding her hand.

"I know, I know!" Maud said, sniffing, before raising her head, trying to look composed, wiping away tears from her eyes. "I am being ridiculous and silly-"

"No you're not!" Enid cut her out immediately sounding uncharacteristically serious and gentle; "You're rightfully frustrated alright, that's all fine, you can be frustrated at this, it's perfectly alright, it makes sense!" She cleared her throat, realizing how she sounded, before reverting to her usual more smart ass tone; "I won't let you, of course, but it's understandable."

"What do you mean, you won't let me?"

"Because I know you! I know you're already planning on staying the whole night here eating ice cream and being depressed about this, but I won't let you!" She stood up, holding both her hands; "Come on, we're going out tonight, just the two of us!" She tried to pull her up, but Maud was quite resistant;

"What? No! I am not in-"

"-The mood to go out! Yeah, you say that every time, but I am not taking that excuse! Come on Maud, you deserve this time for yourself, you've been looking for it the whole week!"

"Yes, but we both know you'll try to drag me to a club or a bar and you know how I hate those."

Enid was about to give a response, her usual one; Saying that Maud obviously needed to have some fun, and that the places she liked closed after six, and she needed to let her problems go and what better place than the one you went to get pissed and forget what way was home by the end of the night? Well…

"You're right!" The other woman said instead, for the shock of both of them. "We can do whatever you want! You get to choose where we go, as long as we go out and do at least one activity outside and you promise you won't be sad!"

Maud's mouth opened in surprise: "Really?"

"Yeah! This is about you feeling better and enjoying your weekend."

"You hate doing the stuff I like-"

"Nah, it will be great!" Nightshade cut in quickly; "I'll have half of my best friends with me!" she grinned.

Maud looked at her, unreadable for sometime. Enid was a good friend, but also a little pushy; Usually she would be the one to convince people to do what she wanted, at most Mildred and Maud being able to vote her out, leaving her grumbling about the imperfection of the democratic system, but even that was rare, since Mildred was not a fan of conflict.

It was an uncommon offer was what Maud thought and… It made her smile brightly; "You're just doing this so I'll feel better, aren't you?" She suddenly stood up of her own volition to hug Enid tightly. "It's so sweet of you." She sighed: "Alright then… Let's go. I want a walk in the park and a really nice restaurant before we come back. How is that?"

"Sounds great…" Enid responded, her voice strangely quiet, making Maud laugh as she pulled back to see her friend looking, again, uncharacteristically awkward, which Maud assumed to be related to Enid not really liking those places. So she laughed it off as she ran to her room, too excited to notice the blush and bewildered expression in her friend's face.

~0~

" _He is sick Ethel, I have to stay with him." Mildred tried to explain herself to her furious girlfriend; "Make sure he'll be fine, I am sorry."_

" _You know mother will not leave me alone, she'll talk endlessly about how you're not good enough for me exactly because you keep doing stuff like this! You have to come!"_

" _I can't! I- I used a little spell to make sure he'll be fine, I can't leave or it will deactivate-"_

" _Why are you like this? You knew we had this party to go!"_

" _Ethel, I am-" Mildred started, but Ethel raised her hand;_

" _Save it! I have to go get ready now!" And transferred away._

Ethel sighed; _"Maybe I was too harsh on her… She was doing the right thing."_

Ursula took a breath, ready to talk, but before she could, Ethel raised her hand;

"Mother, don't even think about it!" She cut sharply. "Mildred had a good reason not to come!"

"Oh?" Ursula lifted her chin, both doubtfully and arrogantly; "What would that be then?"

"She found a dog. A puppy." Ethel explained, trying not to feel silly; "He was alone, his mother and siblings had passed away, she said he barely had the strength to bark, and she decided to make sure he was alright, so she stayed in the vet with him."

Ursula entire tone changed, and she sounded, well, understanding to a degree when she said: "Oh… I see."

Hell, Ethel could swear she heard some softness there, though, it made sense with a second thought; For all her colder businesswoman-like exterior, Ursula Hallow secretly harboured some affinity for animals, which mostly reflected on her treatment of her swans and endless spoiling of her familiar.

"For the first time I understand that girl." She quickly added, before taking her daughter's arm and taking her inside. "Still, this is not a party to be alone in."

"As I said, not much of a choice." Ethel frowned, feeling worse at the way she treated Mildred by the minute. Ugh, sometimes she wished she could back to not caring as she used when back in Cackles.

"I know, but I do believe I can find you the right pair-" Ursula looked around, searching apparently, no one in particular, just the right person, perhaps, when she encountered it; "Ah, I think I found the right one." She tapped on the back of young Merlin Halliwell. Short and bespectacled, and obviously a little nervous for being called upon by Ursula Hallow.

"Mrs. Hallow!" He said, surprised, but still respectful, he made the usual salute; "How can I be of service?"

"Mr Halliwell, yes, what pleasure to see you," she said, using that slightly affected voice she used in those kinds of parties, "have you met my second daughter, Ethel?" Ursula introduced her and despite the initial feeling of awkwardness, Ethel held herself up with poise and lifted her chin as they were introduced, saluting him.

"Haven't had the pleasure yet." Merlin admitted, reciprocating her gesture; "But would be lying if I said I never heard of you, Miss Hallow." He gave her a friendly smile as he relaxed.

"Oh, that's marvellous!" Ursula said, continuing to use the voice she used when talking to people in those kinds of parties. "Mr Halliwell, would you keep my daughter company? Her date for the night had to cancel, dreadful affair."

"If Miss Hallow is interested, a dance sounds rather nice." He replied in a friendly tone and offered to take Ethel's hand, which she gave to him as he took her to the dance floor.

When they were out of Ursula's earshot, Ethel finally asked; "You said you heard of me, Mr Halliwell?"

"Please, call me Merlin… And yes, I have. My friend Arthur has talked about your proficiency at the law firm on occasion." He chuckled, carrying himself marvellously well on the dance floor, taking in account he was a few centimetres shorter than his partner; "He is feeling very happy things are falling into place in his life finally, specially, after-" He cut himself off, blushing; "Well, doesn't matter-"

"I believe I know what you were going to refer to." Ethel said sympathetically; "She left him for his best friend, right?"

Merlin nodded; "I guess with the way that gossip runs, would have been unavoidable for everybody to know about the subject." He managed to smile; "He said it must come with the territory of that name." He paused with a small frown; "He has a strange sense of humour."

"I wouldn't be able to tell, I only ever met him in a professional setting." Ethel admitted, starting to feel in a better mood. She did enjoyed dancing like that, even since she was a little girl and Ulisses was her only dancing partner.

"Oh, you're missing out Miss Hallow, I promise."

"Please, call me Ethel."

"Very well, Ethel," he smiled; "Did you know Arthur was a bit of a prankster back in the Merlin institute?"

Ethel's mouth opened in shock as she slowly shook her head; "No? I would never expect it!" She admitted, already laughing at the very idea.

Merlin gave her a mischievous grin; "Then let me tell you at the time he sneaked a frog bomb into the Great Wizard's hat-" He the proceeded to weave a tale so interesting that Ethel was enthralled.

She didn't even notice her mother's little triumphant look while she danced with her father.

~0~

"This is… Much fancier than I expected." Maud mumbled, surprised as their taxi stopped in front of 'La Coccinelle', a ridiculously expensive French restaurant in Mayfair with a view of Hyde Park.

"It was what you said you wanted!" Enid came out and opened the door for her, "A dinner at a nice restaurant." She took her friend's arm, and started guiding her inside, but Maud was hesitant:

"Yes, but" she quietly whispered; "we can't pay for this! I am an assistant and you're a bartender, even if we-"

"Don't worry about it!" Enid waved her off before whispering: "Mum is paying for it." She smiled and winked.

"What? Why?"

"Because she adores you." The other young woman explained; "She thinks you're smart, considered, always stood by me, like Mildred, and she thinks you're the best influence I ever had in my life and pretty credits you with me completing Cackles without getting kicked out, so, all I had to say was 'Maud is sad and wants to eat at a somewhat fancy restaurant' and she immediately calls the owner of the fanciest one around, and we get this." Enid smiled.

Maud's eyes shone under the light outside, filled with happy tears; "I had no idea your mum felt that way…"

"She is your biggest fan, it turns out." She turned to the receptionist; "A table for two under Nightshade."

"I don't think that will be good for your health, I heard those are poisonous." Said the receptionist dead panned, leaving a beat before laughing; "Of course, Miss Nightshade, follow me!" He guided them to a secluded spot, behind a plant to a wall and walking into the area Maud could feel something.

"An Unremarkability spell…" She whispered and Enid nodded, as the wall opened to a long extending pair of stairs, taking to the second floor, where they were finally led to a table by the window, where they at, Maud looking outside, enchanted: "It's gorgeous… Not many clouds out either, this is rare. Such a beautiful night…"

Enid passed her eyes over the sky for a second, before turning them back to Maud. She was finding it hard to keep them off her. She looked so happy and pretty, her eyes shining as she looked at the skies in a way that Enid never saw her do before. "I guess we all stop looking at the stars at some point don't we?"

"I suppose… Even witches can lose that." Maud smiled and looked at her friend. "Thank you for doing this."

Nightshade felt like melting for a minute, a strange and unexpected feeling that she quickly dismissed, putting her usual grin on instead; "You're my friend, now!" She gives her a menu that has just been offered by the waiter that stood by their table in waiting: "I recommend the lobster, but I know you're not a fan of sea stuff, so-"

"Sounds great!" Maud smiled again, making the feeling swell in Enid's chest again.

~0~

"And that was when, suddenly, the most glorious thing in the world happened" Merlin paused for a dramatic effect before adding; "and the great wizard's trousers were just…" He made a poof sound with his mouth, "GONE!"

"Oh god! Did Arthur do it?" Ethel asked, still shocked, despite the laughter she still tried to contain with her hand.

"No, turns out it was Nathan Nightshade, but then he did do it because he heard Arthur and I talk about it." The young man explained between his own chuckles; "Arthie looked like he was about to pass out from holding his laugh! He didn't dare to breathe! And the best part? Mr. Nightshade came to us and said; 'Hey, I've done it! Now you two own me ten pounds each!'"

Ethel covered her face to hold the laugh. It was a strange moment for her, had she heard that same story when she was eleven she wouldn't have actually laughed, her far grumpier younger self would have found the whole thing pathetic, but now she couldn't help, but enjoy it.

"I can't believe you're telling her that…"

Both Merlin and Ethel turned around to find Arthur behind them, red like a beet.

"Mr. Spellbinder." Ethel jumped from her seat, her face transforming back to her more professional façade; "Well met, sir. Mr. Halliwell and I were just getting acquainted and-"

"Ethel, this is your house-" Arthur said suddenly, almost without thinking; "Miss Hallow." He amended, blushing; "I mean, we are in pretty equal grounds here, you don't to explain yourself because of work, we're on… Equal footing here and I promise I won't use anything that happens tonight against you. You can even call me Arthur if you wish." He held back a desire to laugh.

Ethel tried to, but wasn't quite able; "I believe you're right." She said, after a laugh she tried to hold. "Since we're here, calling me Ethel is alright as well."

"Great!" said Merlin suddenly; "Since we're all on first name basis, I believe you should be the one to tell her the story of our first year, when a Miss Hardbroom came to give us a special class and why she doesn't do that anymore thanks to you!"

Hearing that caused Ethel to have the biggest smile on her face, just the premise was so amazing and that all she could do stare right at Arthur as he sat down at their table and started;

"Well, I believe it was our first year-" Arthur started.

~0~

"Ever had food so good it makes you moan?" Enid asked, just as Maud got her plate delivered to her. The food was her recommendation, a petit gateau with ice cream and a raspberry sauce.

"Looks great, but I don't think it would go that far."

"Try it."

Maud looked at her, rolling her eyes as she took cut into the cake part, a gorgeous and hot chocolate filling spilling out of the cut, a demonstration so sexy, almost pornographic that the young witch couldn't help, but blush and whisper; "Oh God…" under her breath.

Enid had to hold her laugh very hard while she looked at her friends face as she took a bite and moaned.

"Oh God!" Maud repeated, her pupils dilating, and she started at Enid, whispering: "It's even more delicious than it looks!" in bewilderment, so entertained by it that she didn't even mind Enid letting out a loud laugh which she tried to cover with her silken napkin.

"Told ya it would make you moan." Nightshade gave her a cheeky grin, which Maud ignored, still eating with several expressions of pleasure and happiness and Enid just couldn't stop staring. There was something about seeing her friend looking so happy and so cute and so- Hot?

She blushed deeply and suddenly looked away, trying to push the last thought from her mind when she saw that there was a bloke staring at them.

A bloke that looked very familiar.

A bloke immediately looked away and went back to talking to gorgeous Latina woman that was with him exchanging words in Portuguese to get them to leave…

"Mila, a gente precisa sair daqui agora!"

She knew that voice anywhere.

"Marcus?" Enid said suddenly as he tried to hide his face.

"Marcus, amor, você conhece aquela moça?" The Latina woman, Mila, asked, she looked rather confused. "Porque você está se escondendo?"

Maud put her fork down and looked, when she noticed that it was indeed Marcus, her boyfriend… Having dinner with another woman, she stopped… Trying to convince herself it couldn't possibly be what she was thinking.

"So, this is work now?" Enid asked, standing up and walking to him.

"Excuse me, do you know each other?" Mila asked.

"Oh yes, Enid Nightshade, a pleasure to meet!" Enid said, cordially to the young woman.

"Mila não fala com ela! Essa mulher não é confiável!" Marcus said desperately, Enid didn't understand a word, Mila, however ignored him;

"Nightshade? Like Narcisa Nightshade?" She asked, big dark eyes wide.

"That's my mother!" Enid said proudly, and still cordially; "And you are?"

"Emilia! Emilia Itayara, but my friends call me Mila! I saw your mother on concert in Brazil, it was one of the best times of my life." She looked at Marcus; "Love, I can't believe you never told me you knew Narcisa Nightshade's daughter! I'll never forgive you for it!"

"Love?" Enid asked, still trying to sound nice.

"Oh, yes… He didn't told he is engaged?"

"E-engaged?" A much sadder voice spoke behind Enid that moved aside to give place to Maud; "How could you do this to me?" She asked, looking Marcus with a devastated look.

"Maud, babe, it's not what it looks like!"

Mila looked at him, confused; "Babe?" then she looked at Maud, that looked just broken-hearted and slowly the pieces came into place in her mind. "Babe..."

"Yeah, she'ssss my friend! Look, can you just let me talk to her alone-"

"DON'T EVEN DREAM ABOUT IT, ARSEHOLE!" Enid screamed, getting in front of Maud and hugging her, shielding her away from Marcus; "You're cheating on her! And on her too!"

"Five years…" Mila said in disbelief, looking at Marcus disgusted.

"Oh my god!" Maud cried out; "I am the other woman!" She looks at Mila with deep regret in her face, as the tears streamed down her face; "I am so sorry! I swear I had no idea!"

Mila looked at her, still stunned.

"Mila, Maud, I promise I didn't-" before he could finish, Mila had snapped out of it and with one gesture, thrown, not only her own drink on his face, but every single drink in the whole magical part of the restaurant.

"Vai pro inferno, seu merda!" She said angrily, before picking up her purse and walking away from the restaurant.

"Mila, wait!" Marcus said, ignoring Maud and Enid now, and going after Mila.

Enid held Maud close, kissing the top of her head, wishing that her hug could suck away all of her friend's pain and hurt and glaring at Marcus so hard as he walked away that a small fire started on the back of his jacket.

~0~

It was around 3 AM when Ethel got home, tired, but satisfied, surprised even by how much fun the party had ended up being for her. Most of her life those parties had been her trying to keep up a false smile and a fake complexion of friendliness for several hours on end, but this time she actually spent the night with people she enjoyed the company of, still, there is no place like home, and she did, despite everything, missed Mildred terribly.

She quietly opened the door and stepped in, the lamp Mildred and her always left on in the living room was off, however. She closed the door behind her and the light went on, Mildred sitting up and looking at her.

Ethel raised an eyebrow and started removing her heels; "You were sleeping in the sofa?"

Mildred mumbled an affirmation, the puppy in her arms stirring, making her look down to him; "Quiet little guy…" She put him down on a pillow. "Did you had fun?" She asked, shyly, compressing her shoulders as she did when she felt awkward; "I hope your mum didn't give you grief because I didn't go…"

"Nah, she understood your reasons." Ethel crossed her arms and leaned against the kitchen counter that was open to the living room; "How is the puppy?"

"Oh, uh… He'll need some medication, but the doctor said he will be right as rain." Millie smiled, looking back at him; "He is a strong one." She turned around and looked down to her feet, speaking slowly; "I am sorry I abandoned you… I know how much you hate those events, specially alone, but I felt like I had to help him, he was just so-" she got interrupted by Ethel's hand touching her chin and making her look up. Mildred was so preoccupied with finding the right words to apologize she didn't notice Ethel walked to her.

"Shut up." Ethel said; "I knew what I was getting into when I decided to be with you and I wouldn't want it any other way." She let out a small huffing chuckle; "You owe me one though." Her hand went to Mildred's cheek, cupping it.

Mildred chuckled; "Alright. How do I pay for that?"

Ethel got closer, eyes alternating between her lips and eyes; "I want that Brazilian style carrot cake for breakfast."

Mildred laughed quietly; "No problem." And with a quick movement she kissed Ethel on the lips, hugging her waist and pulling her closer, lifting her of the ground slightly as she took her love to their bedroom.

And then running right back when the alarm with the puppies' medication time went off.

(tbc)


	6. Chapter 5 - The Fairytale

**Chapter 5 - The Fairytale**

For a strict and serious school teacher, Hecate Hardbroom certainly had the habit of staying up till very late. Sometimes for papers grading, sometimes to make her rounds around the school, but that night, however, it was mostly about catching up with an old friend, a process that could take so many hours that, In fact, one could say that 4 AM was not late at all, it was early even:

"How is the training with Mildred going?" Pippa asked, adding what, in Hardbroom's eyes, was an excessive amount of sugar to her tea, two whole cubes, and mixing it, taking a bite of the heart shaped cookie she had brought.

"We have barely started." HB responded, taking a sip of her, pure and unblemished by sugar or additives, tea. "I gave her a very basic lesson in organization so far, we shall start with the important instructions once she finally gets that."

"Oh, so that means you spent hours describing what you believe is the right way to organize a desk?" Pippa says and the expression on her friend's face tells her that she was right on the spell. She smiles: "There you go again, Hecate, being way too hard on the girl. I am sure she is doing her best, you just don't want to embrace her way of doing things."

"Nonsense!" Hecate huffed. "She is an art's teacher, she knows nothing of organization." She took a sip of her tea. "Plus, she has a horrible habit of not knocking, since her second year or so."

The blonde rolled her eyes, drinking more of her tea. "You never change Hecate. Can't be that bad."

"She walked into Ada and I were having an… Intimate moment."

Pippa's eyes went wide: "Oh dear! HOW intimate?"

"We were kissing." Hecate said in her usual paused tone, and then raised an eyebrow; "She looked surprised and said, and I quote; I didn't know you two were dating, unquote."

"And what did you say?" The blonde woman asked, with barely contained laughter.

"I said; Miss Hubble… We have been married for twenty-seven years."

There was a silence, until: "PfffffHAHAHAHAHAH!" Pentangle let out a loud laugh, throwing her head back, unable to hold back anymore.

Hecate observed her, raising an eyebrow and drinking her tea.

"She didn't know?" Pippa finally asked, when her laugh died down.

"Apparently not." HB responded dryly and observed as Pippa took several deep breaths.

"Well, congratulations in keeping it a secret then."

"Thank you, Pippa." She took another sip of tea. "Being interrupted by her was still not much as much fun as you are obviously having right now!"

"I am sure she'll be a great teacher, specially under your tutelage." Pippa smiled openly as Hecate grumbled.

~0~

Sometimes, realizations come upon us in unexpected times, feelings we didn't know we have flourished to the surface and seem to express themselves on our very skin, driving your hairs to stand on end, as it comes to you that suddenly, now, you might be in love, romantically, with someone that was once someone you loved only as a friend.

"A little better now?" Enid asked, still rubbing Maud's back in large, comforting circles, as she had for about two hours since they got back home, and she laid in the sofa with her friend on top of her.

"A little…" Maud responded, sobbing softly. "I still… Can't believe it." She snuggled closer, closing her eyes; "I… Do you think it was something I did, something I-"

"No, of course not!" Enid cut her, maybe a little too vehemently. She couldn't stand having her friend blaming herself for that arse's actions; "Remember, she said, they were together for five years, he lied to you this whole time!"

"Oh yes…" Maud said, her voice suddenly sadder; "I was 'the other witch' after all." She sobbed quietly; "That makes it worse, somewhat… All this time I thought I was more important than that, but turns out I-"

"You are very important." Her friend said, hugging her tighter, her voice turning much softer; "You are brilliant, thoughtful, a very good friend, smart, gorgeous, and so, so much better than he is!" She said, starting to trip over her words; "And- and so much more than he deserved anyway." Enid took a deep breath to calm herself; "I know you're not feeling it now, and trust me, I know, I was cheated on too, but this feeling is just a feeling, a lying one."

"You were much stronger when you were cheated on than I am being." Maud huffed with a humourless chuckle.

"Nah, that wasn't strength." She gently ran her fingers through her hair, knowing that worked to calm her down; "I didn't love him anymore, and I was angry and frustrated that it got to me, so I reacted, well, like that!, But you, what you're feeling is different."

"Yeah I… I still love-" Maud caught herself, her voice faltering as she corrected; "Loved him."

Enid sighed, hearing that hurt on her friend's voice over that utterly useless sack of bat guano, that old broom handle, that awful little stink beetle; "You don't need him… I am here for you." She whispered and kissed Maud's head, still petting her back, still wanting her to relax and slowly, she was getting there.

"You're a great friend, Enid…" She whispered quietly, eyes closing; "I am so thankful for you."

The taller young woman smiled and nodded, looking down at one of her best friends, finally relaxing against her, slowly being lulled to sleep. To her surprise, she found herself remembering an old chant her grandma used to sing to her, one that always helped her relax and fall asleep and started to enchant it, helping Maud as it used to help her.

Enid found herself, suddenly looking down at her, caressing her cheek gently, smiling happily at seeing her relaxed, and she felt… She felt… Her eyebrows slowly knitting together as she finally realized for herself that she was absolutely smitten, just gone, head over heels in love.

'Well, now what?' There was a sigh after that thought as she looked down to someone that was still her best friend, her best friend that suffered an awful heartbreak at the hands of an awful excuse for a wizard, that gave her a bad relationship and lied to her, so there was that.

Her feelings were clear, but it was not the moment.

"I'll look after you…" She whispered quietly; "You being alright is that matters right now." She kissed the top of her head and snuggled herself to go to sleep.

~0~

Mildred held the puppy a few centimetres above her face, bringing him down for some kisses from time to time, also to blow on his pot-belly, making the small creature arf happily, causing a fit of giggles on her.

From her place behind the counter, Ethel couldn't help, but smile to herself; "You used some sort of magic to help him recover, didn't you?"

"Hmm, nothing that breaks the code too badly." Mildred admitted, sitting up; "I wanted him to be alright as soon as possible, and he still needs medication anyway." She kissed the little puppy's nose. "And a name, he also needs a name."

"So, I am guessing you want to keep him?" Ethel sighed and walked to her, coffee in hand, taking a few sips.

"Don't you?" Mildred asked, more apprehensive.

"I was never too fond of dogs." The blonde sat besides them.

"What about Sirius?" Millie held the dog closer to Ethel. He looked at her and yawned.

"He is a familiar, my father's familiar," Ethel yawned back at the puppy unable to holding; "that's different." Despite those words, she extended her hand and pet the tiny dog's head with the tips of her fingers. "Still, I have to admit, he is cute."

Millie smiled: "You should name him."

Ethel looked at her surprised and put her coffee mug on the table; "Me?" She looked down at the puppy again, thoughtful. "My father called his familiar what basically amounts to 'Dog'."

"I am sure you can do better than that." Mildred gave the little dog to her, which Ethel held a little awkwardly, bringing him close to her chest; "Something fierce and powerful!" She added, giggling slightly.

Ethel looked down to the puppy, seeing it snuggle closer to her chest, tiny tail wagging around; "Uh, Remulus? It was the name of a powerful ancient wizard that was raised by a wolf along his two brothers, before leaving them to fight over petty non-magical world things."

"Sounds good!" Mildred said, walking to the kitchen; "Just a bit big for someone so tiny, though, the Vet said he'll be medium to big when he'll grow up."

"I guess we could call him Remy, for now." Ethel said, lifting him up; "Do you like that, boy?" Remy extended his front paws, reaching for her and the blonde woman brought him close against her chest again. "I'll take that as a yes then."

"Mildred!" A voice called at the mirror, it was Enid: "We need to talk!"

~0~

Ursula slowly opened her eyes and lazily sat up on her bed, stretching out her arms and looking at the watch by her bedside table; Almost one o'clock. Not bad for someone who only went to bed when the sun was coming up. She yawned, covering her mouth and looked to her side, seeing Ulysses still completely snuggled under the covers.

She smiled to herself quietly and put her arms around him, kissing his temple and whispering into his ear: "Lysses, it's time to wake up." His wife nuzzled him, and he stirred, turning around to look at her with a small smile;

He huffed, under the covers; "What time is it?"

"One o'clock." Ursula's hand touched his chest, moving it around. "We should probably get out of bed." A smile curved the sides of her mouth, as her eyes veiled and looked at him with clear interest.

"We should." Ulysses yawned, turning around on the bed, unaware of her clear intentions. "Last night was fun, but don't think for a second I didn't saw what you were trying to do." He looked at her, eyebrow raising; "How is your plan going?"

"What do you mean?" She said innocently, caressing his chest.

"Ursula." Was all he said back, with that tone, as he took her hand, kissing her palm. She sighed;

"Very well, thank you very much!" She huffed, but still didn't pull back, laying on top of him and adding in a biting tone; "I see you're not trying to help me save our daughter from a great heartbreak and waste of her life."

"Hm," Ulisses responded sounding about as doubtful as he felt, looking at her; "and to do that yourself, you introduced her to a certain Mr. Spellbinder, with the exact intention to accomplish that in the most oblique way possible." He put his arms around her, raising an eyebrow.

"She would have seen right through me otherwise." Ursula shrugged, hand moving down over his stomach and lower; "She is my daughter after all and, as everybody always say, the one who is the most like me."

"Oh, she is. Same cunning, same intelligence and willingness to get what she wants by any means and due to that, my love, do you not fear, this might go belly up and end up being worse?" He jumped a little, feeling her hand reach its destination, making him blush deeply as he finally realized what her intentions were; "Ursi!" He protested, though, his heart clearly wasn't in it.

"Worse than Ethel staying with Mildred Hubble?" She responded, playing with his hair with her other hand. "Doubtful!" She kissed him gently, and gave him a look of clear double intention. "Now, we only have about half an hour before someone comes in to call us for a reason or another and I can think of far more interesting things to do than discuss that." Ursula gave him a mischievous smile and pulled them both under the covers.

Ulisses smiled and then laugh, soon drifting far away from thoughts about his daughter, even if something inside him said Ursula could be wrong about Ethel, he knew that what she was doing now, certainly felt right and overcame the nagging feeling at the back of his mind that disappeared more with each kiss.

After all: What was the worst that could happen?

~0~

How much does happen in a month? Well, it's not long enough to mend a broken heart, or to learn all the skills demanded from a teacher, or to get much higher in your job, however, it was long enough to help of the things you know you're working on grow… And then there are the things you don't know.

For the third morning in that week Ethel did what was turning out to be a dreaded gauntlet, she didn't know when it was going to attack; jumping out bed and running to the bathroom, so she could vomit the contents of her stomach, which were usually not much that time of the morning, while Mildred looked at her from the bed for a few seconds before standing up and going to her.

"Alright, that's it, you're not coming with me for the next visit." She said with a yawn, gathering the light hair in her hands, and holding them back with one as she put her other hand on Ethel's forehead, gently.

The blonde sighed relieved by the contact, holding Mildred's cool hand against her forehead; "That's not it." She sighed, her voice a little hoarse; "I don't feel sick, I just vomited a few times in the morning over the week." she said, before shoving her face down the toilet again for another heave.

"Has to be it." Her girlfriend reasoned; "You never had this before we started to go looking for those."

"Yes, but we have been doing this for, what? Two months? Why only hit me now?" Ethel shot back, spitting in bow, the last remnants in her mouth and standing up finally to flush and blush her teeth.

"I don't know…" Millie looked at her concerned; "Maybe it's taking time to build up? Something might have got to you now only because of the long exposure. Didn't you say that Sybil had some respiratory problems when she was a child?"

Ethel side eyed her, her hand slowing down the brushing motion, one eyebrow shooting up as she took the brush off her mouth. "Does it look like the problem was my lungs?"

"Those things can affect the whole body."

"Alright, but it's Sybil that has the bad breathing. Do I look like Sybil?"

Mildred paused, narrowing her eyes before responding slowly; "Yes… She is your sister, of course you look like her! Or rather, she looks like you. I would have probably suspected she was your sister even if I didn't meet her right after throwing my work in your face." A beat, "She just happens to be cuter though."

"Hey!" Ethel said, slightly jealous, but Mildred laughed and kissed her cheek, making the blonde huff; "What could I do? Change my whole appearance before going back to Cackles?"

"Not even you would have been much of an ass, Ethel." Mildred laughed, but then noticed her face. "Oh bat, you wanted it didn't you?"

Ethel washed her mouth and blushed, before saying quietly; "Mother wouldn't allow me to." And leaving the bathroom, as Mildred doubled over, laughing loudly.

"Of course you did!" Mildred whipped a tear from her eye and followed her, hugging her from behind suddenly and kissing her cheek; "And not allowing it sounds just like your mother." She let go, moving to the kitchen as Ethel sat in the bar stools by the counter; "Anything special for breakfast."

Still a little queasy her girlfriend waved her off; "Just get me an apple from the fridge, a really cold one." Ethel said, and Mildred did, giving it to her. Ethel sliced the apple into several small sections with a spell. She starts eating them when she notices the small smile in Mildred's face. "What?"

"Does that count as personal gain?" The brunette asked, pouring herself some cold cereal for breakfast.

Ethel shrugged without really caring, and stared down at her apples getting another slice, before looking at Mildred, getting the milk from the fridge. "Say, do we still have some of that spicy honey mustard sauce you made?"

"Uuuhhh," she searched it in the fridge "sure?"

"Gimme!" The blonde made greedy hands until she was given, and started to dip the apples in the honey mustard, eating with great pleasure.

Millie looked at her surprised and turned back to the fridge, when something else got her attention; "Hey… You haven't eaten your chocolate truffles yet."

"Oh? Oh yeah, I forgot we even had those."

Her jaw hung open to that answer, and she tried to think of a very polite way to ask her next question; "Love… When was your last period?"

Ethel stopped chewing and looked at her; "What." Her question was so flat that literally no other punctuation but a period wouldn't make it justice.

"You know… Once a month your uterine walls-"

"I KNOW what it IS Mildred! You just usually don't ask me that…"

"Well, I am now."

"Pfff- I don't know." She ate another apple slice dipped in the sauce thoughtfully; "I think a week before we went to see my parents when Esme and Erik were visiting… We went looking for the grimoire… Yeah, a week before we did that."

"Ethel, that was about two months ago!" Mildred said, panic creeping on her slowly as she started to fear that SOMEHOW she had got Ethel pregnant.

The blonde huffed frustrated and gave her a sarcastic look; "So? Why would I worry? It's not like you can get me pregnant. I am just not looking forwards to when it comes down. It will last a week and the cramps will kill me!"

"Are you sure I can't get you pregnant?" Mildred asked, still very, very nervous.

"Yes!" Ethel shot back, certain. "For you to do that there would need to be a special potion."

"We have been to a lot of places with a lot of old and powerful magic and potion ingredients that haven't been touched in centuries, don't those can have an effect?"

"Yes, but you also need a very specific spell to make it work and a ritual when the people are making love, and even then doesn't always work! Will you relax? I am not pregnant!"

Mildred took several deep breaths; "Alright, ok…" Slowly she calmed down. "And that's the only way?"

"For witches, yes, and that's all we are." Ethel sighed, eating another apple slice; "A few magical creatures of greater power don't need potions or spells for two females to get each other pregnant like mermaids, dragons and fairies for instance."

"Fairy? My ancestor and the fairies!" Mildred jumped, panicking again.

"Those magics don't linger too long in witch's blood, just a few generations…"

"Yes, but magic was gone from my bloodline, what if when the magic came back, the fairy magic was there too? Plus, ever realized how I often do stuff that seems to be impossible by accident and then it's explained exactly by this kind of stuff?"

"Mil, that's just-" Ethel stopped eating her apple slices, going pale, as she slowly realized how right Mildred was. "Oh, my fucking hat…"

Mildred got her coat and keys to her motorcycle; "I'll go buy the test!" and left, leaving Ethel, still stunned, behind.

~0~

The club used a pub with the same name as a front, but if you took your way down around the back, preferably without attracting the attention of any ordinary people you would found a club that took its name from the very form of dark humour born itself from the moment the witching community faced, providing both protection and respite to the horrible nightmare, the fear of ending up in the namesake of the club.

"The Gallows", a comedy club by and for witches, founded back when the witch hunts started to take on throughout England and well-known for its iconic drink; "Coven on Fire", an expression that was itself born out of gallows humour, an attempt at dealing with an awful reality that could always be relieved, with a good laugh and a cup of the ol' witches' brew.

Enid now worked there, which explained why she was still wearing her bartending outfit, with her hair tied up in a poofy ponytail, while laying on the sofa, half of her body falling out of it, loudly snoring while she drooled over the dainty cushions.

"Enid…" Maud called gently. "Enid?" She repeated, putting her hand on her shoulder and shaking it lightly, making her friends shock awake.

"Huh, what?" Enid asked, opening her eyes, confused, seeing her friend chuckle at her;

"You should probably go to bed before that sofa breaks your neck or something."

Nightshade tried to raise her head, only to feel her neck muscle tighten, a sharp pain running through it, her hand flying to position to try and sooth it, sitting up; "Too late, I suppose…" She groaned. "What time is it?"

Maud looked at her watch; "Ten AM. When did you get home?"

"Around six, I think." Enid sat up.

"You should sleep more, then." Maud said gently, helping her up. "Four hours is not nearly enough sleep."

Nightshade yawned and spoke without any conviction: "It is if you are an absolute badass…" She rubbed her eyes like a kid and started dragging herself to the bathroom.

"Come on Enid-" Maud laughed at her friend and caught up with her easily, holding her arms and rubbing them gently; "Just sleep a little more, you'll feel better later."

Enid stretched, arching her back slightly and yawning; "You wake me up later mum?"

"Why can't you set your alarm?" Asked the other woman, while she got into the kitchen.

"Because you usually make coffee and buys me some bagels you wake me up." Her friend responded with a grin.

Maud laughed: "You're using for breakfast?"

"Yup!"

"No, can't do. Not today."

Enid groaned and whined: "Why not?"

The shorter woman stood up, and spoke in a resigned voice: "I got a date!"

Nightshade started dragging herself to her room with a grimace that looked it was due to her being woken up, but we know that's not the case; "Oh, another one?" She frowned and looked at her friend: "Your mum again?"

"Yeah, she seems convinced that going on dates will make everything better." Maud got closer to her, looking at her taller friend. "I would have found a way to avoid it again, but she already got everything in order and I know the guy, so-"

"You know him?" Enid said, sounding not even a little bit jealous.

"Yeah, it's Ralph. He was a friend of my cousin's, you know, the one I changed my whole face, so he wouldn't recognize me? Well, he had a crush on me." She shrugged. "Mum keeps insisting he grew up to be 'such a handsome lad!', so I'll go. I guess will be nice to see a childhood friend."

"I suppose." The taller witch put both her hands on her friend's shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "I'll keep the mirror and my maglet nearby at all times, so you can call me for anything, alright?" She smiled at her, and they looked into each other's eyes, Maud smiling;

"Don't worry, mum." She chuckled and suddenly hugged Enid. "You've been amazing this whole time Enid! I'll never be able to thank you enough!" Maud smiled, looking up into her eyes and walking away to her room, leaving Enid behind, looking uncharacteristically flustered.

~0~

Silence, thick impenetrable silence. The kind of silence that makes your ears seek any sound, a distant chirp, a pin drop, a mosquito flying several meters. The kind of silence that makes it so your ears start to make up sounds, invent a single tense tone that sounds, at the same time, deep and shallow, high and low and it just grows and grows and grows until...

Something is said.

"This is literally not possible!" It was Ethel, her voice was shocked, and shaken, but also quiet.

"I know." Mildred, however, was almost breathless, her heart beating so fast it reverberated loudly in her ears. She could no longer sit there, so she stood up and started walking around the room; "This is all my fault! I know this is my fault." There was a long pause while she paced, until Ethel finally spoke:

"Probably."

Mildred stopped pacing, a horrible cold feeling in her spine: "Do… Do you hate me for this?"

"I- I have no idea how I feel about this." Ethel realized, she couldn't help but be completely honest. "I know I don't hate you… I remember when I hated you, this isn't it." She put her elbow on the sofa arm and held her head up, thinking for a second before looking up; "Wait you… You don't think I cheated on you?"

Millie looked at her with a deep frown: "Why would I think that?"

"Because it wasn't supposed to happen Mildred! Not between two witches!"

"Well, it did, and probably was my fault!... Or my ancestors, I should have been more careful and now-" She took a deep breath. "I am sorry, I had no idea-"

"Stop apologizing for that!" Ethel stood up and walked to her. "Besides, that won't help! We need to talk to someone! Someone who might know how to help!"

As if some sort of supernatural creature, although if the origin was divine or hellish was up to your own interpretation, responded their call, suddenly their mirror came up, unfortunately, neither Mildred nor Ethel realized it in time, and before the caller could say anything, Mildred blurted out:

"Who would know anything of how I got you pregnant?"

"WHAT?" Screamed, from the mirror, the very shocked and shaken voice of Ursula Hallow.

(tbc)


End file.
